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One Smart Collar

Researchers are harnessing technology to improve training for guide dogs for the blind.

By Glenn McDonald

It’s a 21st century riddle: What technology, developed at NC State, combines cloud computing, artificial intelligence and severely cute puppies? That would be an innovative research project that uses computer science and engineering to develop a smart collar that helps train guide dogs for the blind.

The collar, being developed by a group run by Alper Bozkurt, a professor in electrical and computer engineering, and David Roberts, an associate professor in computer science, monitors animals during the early phases of guide dog training. Real-time environmental data is transmitted to IBM’s cloud-based “Watson” artificial intelligence system, which analyzes the data and helps identify those animals most likely to be successful guide dogs. For instance, if a particular puppy is easily distressed by loud noises or other environmental factors, it may not have the proper temperament for a guide dog. “The collar provides information on activity levels, light, temperature, sounds and barking,” Bozkurt says.

The collar provides information on activity levels, light, temperature, sounds and barking.

Roberts says the smart collars are being used by Guiding Eyes for the Blind, a nonprofit organization that provides service dogs for those with vision impairment and other disabilities. The early monitoring is important because Guiding Eyes can invest up to $50,000 and two years in a potential guide dog.

Lorraine Trapani, volunteer puppy raiser with Guiding Eyes, says the smart collar system has helped to improve success rates overall. “The insights Guiding Eyes receives from the data help make more guide dogs available to those who need them,” she says.

Photograph by Marc Hall ’20 MA,

Roberts and Bozkurt hope to eventually include other kinds of service animals — search-and-rescue dogs, canine security or emotional support animals. “More recently, there’s interest in finding solutions for agricultural problems,” Roberts says. “We’re working on whether we can get dogs to work with drones in scanning large fields.”

The professors are both animal lovers, and they stress that regardless of the collaboration, animal welfare always comes first. “Whatever the project,” Roberts says, “we’re always careful to work for the benefit of all species involved.”

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