Projects:2019s2-22702 Barkbusters 2.0

The aim of the project is to develop a small field deployable device that can detect and log the barking activity of one specific animal. This proposal will show the approach by which our group will complete the project. A detailed procedure and timetable are included. Other important considerations like background, significance, requirements and constraints are also included.

Introduction

Bark busters 2.0 is designed not to control the barking of the dog but to log the barking activity of a specific animal. This can be used as proof by the person who is facing a nuisance due to a specific animal and make a complaint to the concerned officer. This is a simple solution to collect proof against a disturbing animal. When dealing with dogs, there are legal issues that need to be considered. Legally, the person owning the dog is solely responsible for the control of the dog is guilty of an offence if a dog” creates a noise, by barking or otherwise, which persistently occurs or continues to such a degree or extent that unreasonably interferes with the peace or convenience of a person.” Bark busters 2.0 helps the person facing inconvenience with a specific animal to collect proof against it and complaint to the concerned officer. We will have to design the device in such a way that it should be able to differentiate the noises and able to record only the log activity of a specific animal. It should also be able to differentiate the bark of one animal to another.

Project team

Project students

• Mingde Jiang
• Nityasri Gallennagari

Supervisors

• Prof. Langford White
• Dr. Brian Ng

Objectives

This project aims to develop a small field deployable device

Background

In Australia, approximately half of the population has dogs as their pets. It is the responsibility of the owner to take care of the dog and control the dog behaviour. Barking dogs are a nuisance to the neighbours and owner of the dog must take certain measures to have the dog behave appropriately. Earlier, the problem of barking of dogs is controlled by using Spray collars which would spray a lemon scented liquid or citronella on dog’s face when it barks. This spray interrupts the barking and discourages the dog from barking further. Dogs which bark due to anxiety or fear issues may become more fearful and turn their anxiety into dangerous behaviour due to the usage of this collars. Further, Ultrasonic collars and devices are developed which would emit the sound which is inaudible o humans but audible to the dogs causing them discomfort. These collars and devices get activated when the dog starts barking. Devices can be deployed anywhere in the house even can be used outdoor. But these devices are of no use when used on a dog whose hearing is impaired. Some of these devices are ineffective as they start emitting the sound in response to some random noises in the surroundings (other than a dog). With the advancement in technology, an application (Bark’n Mad) is available to monitor and record barking of the dog. Results are visible through graphical displays. Bark’n Mad is a replacement for anti-bark collars. It is not only used to monitor the dog bark but also provides resolution to the cause of bark. It can be used by the owner or the annoyed neighbour find the amount of barking and reason behind the excessive barking. But this application has additional features which are available through in-app purchases. It is a bit costly to buy each feature for the application. Not every person will be able to purchase it. Another disadvantage with this application is that it is designed only for iOS, not for other operating systems.