Can Wearable Computing for Dogs Keep Humans Safer? | Melody Moore Jackson | TEDxPeachtree

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. The earliest record of dogs assisting humans with disabilities dates back to ancient Rome, in the first century A.D.

Melody shows us a creative use of wearable computing that enables humans and their service dogs to better communicate and by doing so improve the quality of life for humans with disabilities. The closer collaboration also keeps humans engaged in hazardous jobs such as those serving on bomb detection/removal squads safer.

Melody Moore Jackson's research qualifications and personal passion make her uniquely qualified to give this talk on how facilitating better communications between humans and service dogs can improve the quality of life for humans living with physical disabilities and keeping first-responders such as members of the bomb squad safer.

She is the director of the Animal-Computer Interaction Lab at the Georgia Institute of Technology, one of the top public research universities in the United States. Her research, which includes brain-computer interfaces, assistive technology for people with physical disabilities and animal interaction, has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and DARPA.

Melody has been training dogs and horses for more than 30 years. She has served as a volunteer puppy-raiser for Canine Companions for Independence since 1995.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[shimtd]

With bomb sniffing dogs they usually have different signals for different scents. like for explosives that are dangerous they sit or the ones that are less dangerous they bark. You have to teach them each scent you are looking for since they smell different to them so you can teach a separate alert.

[radioactivedew]

Oh this is so cool me I have an SDIT and my mom will hopefully soon be getting a SD for her migraines and seizures this would be so helpful for the both of us.

[JacquiChew]

TriscuitGaming - You may not have watched the talk all the way through. The central idea is enabling bettern communications between service dogs and the humans to protect human life, make hazardous professions a little less hazardous, etc. 

[illmatic]

This is more than possible, in fact, Humanity has already had some success with canine ASRA, the Germans made great strides pertaining to this endeavor. Imagine how far we can take this with modern technology...  

[triscuitgaming]

The thing is we already emotionally and physically can tell what our dogs are feeling. This is not needed honestly.

[dougiequick]

Or just just sensors looking at the dog discerning the signals and notifying his person via wrist worn alert device. The blind person simpy wears a sensor hat that that 360 degrees monitors that dog ...and btw why not have it monitor other people nearby also ....watching "listening" ...anything your dog is trained to notify and even his natural signals are communicated to his human via whatever means is most efficient....and btw the headgear itself could be monitoring outdoor sensors and online warnings....and BTW ...even sighted/hearing "normal" persons would want this while asleep or in more sound deadened/non windowed area....AND it could be talking to satellite sensors on your children also....

[PawsuasiveDogTeaching]

What ya mean if dogs could talk? They already do you just need to learn their language and teach them ours. Dogs can do some amazing things.

[Zarrakon]

I would love to be able to talk to my dog :c

[mmaddoxscarlett]

HOW CAN WE AS SERVICE DOGS HANDLERS INVEST IN THIS DEVICE FOR OYE CANINES..??