😮 Dog Barks Have Been Decoded!

Can AI decode what dogs are telling us?!

Researchers from the University of Michigan are using artificial intelligence to better understand what a dog's bark conveys about whether it is feeling playful or angry. They are also digging into whether AI could correctly identify a dog's age, gender and breed based on what it woofs.

The scientists were able to make progress towards decoding canine communication by repurposing existing computer models trained on human speech. "Advances in AI can be used to revolutionize our understanding of animal communication," said University of Michigan AI Laboratory head Rada Mihalcea. "Our research opens a new window into how we can leverage what we built so far in speech processing to start understanding the nuances of dog barks."

AI has enabled great strides to be made in understanding the subtleties of speech. AI-powered systems are used to distinguish nuances in tone, pitch and accent, which in turn enables technologies such as voice-recognition software.

They have reached that level of sophistication by being trained on a huge number of real human voices. However, no comparable database exists for dogs.

“Animal vocalizations are logistically much harder to solicit and record,” pointed out Artem Abzaliev, the study's lead author.

His team set out to discover whether scientists could get round that lack of data by piggy-backing on research carried out on humans. So, his team gathered the barks, growls and whimpers of 74 dogs of varying breeds, ages and sexes, in a variety of contexts. They the fed them into a machine-learning model - a type of algorithm that identifies patterns in large data sets - which had been designed to analyze human speech.

And they found it also did a good job at cocking at ear at what dogs were communicating too. On average, the researchers found their model was 70% accurate across various tests.

"This is the first time that techniques optimized for human speech have been built upon to help with the decoding of animal communication,” said Ms Mihalcea. “Our results show that the sounds and patterns derived from human speech can serve as a foundation for analyzing and understanding the acoustic patterns of other sounds, such as animal vocalizations.”

The researchers say their findings could have "important implications" for animal welfare. They suggest better understanding the nuances of the various noises animals make could improve how humans interpret and respond to their emotional and physical needs.

Will Philadelphia break a World Record on Friday?

Namaste, Philadelphia!

With Chonkfest under way this weekend in the Philadelphia area, the event’s organizers are kicking off the three-day festivities by attempting to break the world record for the largest gathering of dogs in one place for dog yoga.

Dog…yoga?

Yep. “Doga” is a form of yoga that humans and pets do together, which may help promote you and your dog's physical and mental wellness.

The benefits of dog yoga are numerous: Dogs may experience improved posture, better sleep and a boost in bonding with their favorite human after a good doga workout. Additionally, spending time doing yoga with your dog may help alleviate stress and anxiety for you and make your pet feel important, which may help curb behavioral issues.

Chonkfest organizers are eager to kick off the weekend’s festivities by offering a FREE doga gathering at Bark Social. The on-leash event is open to the public and the organizers ask that you please RSVP to secure your spot in history.

RSVP here for FREE Dog Yoga on Friday at 5pm EST

“The Squeeze”: Dog News In 60 Seconds

•  🦸 This dog trekked 4 miles for help after he and his owner’s car fell off a cliff!

• 💰 Single mom’s new side hustle earns her big bucks. She’s renting out her backyard as a sniff spot for dogs!

• ⚖️ So much for Bark Air’s big debut… the airline is facing it’s first major lawsuit.

• 🐕 Study: Dogs learn moe efficiently when rewarded with these two things…

• 🎥 Who was one of Will Smith’s favorite co-stars? The dog he tried to adopt after filing I Am Legend.

• 🏈 Did Patrick Mahomes name his dog after another AFC rival team?

• 📈 Are dog-focused venture capitalists now as excited to invest in the cat space? Hear about Meowtel’s difficult rise to glory.

Today’s Last Look:

Winston just took us on an emotional rollercoaster…

@winston_thebeagle

The first watching it on the big screen && I think it made it too real for him 🥺🥺 #dog #dogtok #lionking #disney