Japanese talking toy translates dog barks

Tokyo, July 17: Japanese toymaker Takara Tomy said Thursday that it would launch a talking version of its Bowlingual gadget that can “translate” dog barks into the human language.

The new model analyses six emotions, including joy, sadness and frustration, and speaks phrases such as “Play with me.” The original only showed them on a screen.

” Dog owners can enjoy the toy at a dog run and a park ”
Tomy spokeswoman Chie Yamada

“Dog owners can enjoy the toy at a dog run and a park,” said Tomy spokeswoman Chie Yamada.

The original version of the toy, which has a handset and a microphone attached to a dog collar, won the Ig Nobel Prize in 2002. The awards, a parody of the Nobel Prizes, celebrate achievements that make people laugh and think.

The new Bowlingual Voice, priced at 19,950 yen ($ 212), will be launched in Japan next month, Yamada said.

–Agencies