Are you wondering how does pet detection work? Well, pet cameras allow you to keep an eye on your pet from a distance. If you are thinking of getting a pet camera, there are features to consider.
This way, if you are gone all day long for work, you can still check in on your pet. Most models come with two-way audio so you can communicate with your pet. Basic models have this two-way audio, basic video, and various alert features.
That said, higher-end pet cameras have high-end features such as pet detection, otherwise known as animal detection. So, what is pet detection? Moreover, how does this feature work?
What is Pet Detection?
If we are talking about cameras, pet detection is when a camera can detect your pet. It is, however, a little more complicated than this.
Pet detection means that your camera can tell whether it is a pet or a human. Moreover, pet detection should also distinguish between various pets and other animals. Simply put, a pet cam with pet detection allows it to detect your specific pet.
This can be useful in more ways than one. For instance, if a pet camera has just motion detection, it might alert you whenever anything moves, such as other humans in the house. But, of course, this movement could also occur outside the home, such as outside windows.
With standard motion detection, if a camera sees it, it will alert you, which can be annoying if you keep getting all sorts of motion alerts that aren’t your pet.
Pet detection is different because it can differentiate between your pet and other animals or people. Therefore, with pet detection, you won’t get false motion alerts.
If the pet detection feature is very advanced, it might also be able to recognize sound, such as your dog’s bark. This can be beneficial because you will be alerted when your dog barks. However, this is not like standard audio detection or audio alerts.
Many things in your house might make sounds other than your pet. With high-quality pet detection, you will only be alerted when your pet makes sounds, but not all sounds. Pet detection is just one advanced feature that makes pet cameras more functional.
How Does Pet Detection Work?
You should now have a basic idea of what a camera with pet detection can do. However, there’s still the question of how pet detection works. Be aware that this is a relatively complicated subject because it all comes down to artificial intelligence (AI).
These pet cameras have advanced forms of AI, which may be based on one, two, or various factors. In other words, artificial intelligence can judge whether or not it is a pet that it sees.
These artificial intelligence programs are designed with various parameters to identify your pet. Let’s take a closer look at precisely what these parameters might be.
Weight
One way pet detection can work is by judging the animal’s weight. AI can roughly calculate its weight using various data, such as your animal’s length, height, and width.
Based on the weight, it can then determine whether or not it is your pet that it is seeing. So, yes, this usually means that you first have to enter your pet’s weight into the system.
Height
As with weight, a good AI system should also be able to judge your pet’s height. As with the weight, you will have to input the size of your animal into the system. Then, when the camera sees an animal or a person, it can judge whether it is your pet.
For instance, it will recognize that a squirrel is much smaller than your dog. But, at the same time, it will also realize that a person is much larger than your dog. Therefore, a good AI pet detection system should also differentiate between various animals based on height and weight.
Heat Signature
One of the more advanced ways that pet detection can work is by analyzing the heat signature of the animal. Every dog will have a different heat signature. Just imagine yourself looking through heat vision goggles. This is what happens here.
Moreover, a dog will have a different heat signature than a cat, which will be different from a human.
This type of system will be substantially more expensive. The components required for heat signature detection are not cheap.
Appearance
There are also pet detection systems that use simple images. Here, you upload a picture of your pet into the system, and when the camera sees your pet, it will then compare the image you have uploaded to what it sees. This is similar to facial recognition software that is used for humans. Albeit, for pet cameras, it’s a bit simpler.
Sound
The other aspect of pet detection is bark detection. A good pet camera can differentiate between the bark of your dog and the voice of a human. It does this by storing and analyzing various audio files.
Conclusion
Cameras with pet detection are much more functional than those without. In addition, pet detection helps prevent false alarms from occurring. The result is a much more functional pet camera that won’t provide false alerts.