THE CSIRO is partnering in the development of a smart collar to keep track of pets.
Data61, the digital specialist arm of the national science agency, is working with agtech company Ceres Tag, to develop the collar that uses Bluetooth and satellite communications to keep tabs of an animal’s movements in real-time.
Updates are sent to the owner’s phone via an app whenever their pet wanders outside of an established boundary.
The other approach to tracking pets now on the market is a GPS-based tracker that requires a mobile plan. These devices are often expensive, rely on cellular coverage which requires frequent, charging.
The CSIRO and Ceres Tag Companion Collar requires monthly charging on average, depending on the amount of activity the animal performs.
Pets who remain within the virtual boundary set up by their owner will trigger the device’s automatic power saving mode, but those who wander outside will cause it to switch to GPS location and direct satellite reporting.
First published in the Mornington News – 10 November 2020
