Index Corporation recently announced the launch of a “dog-to-human translation” app for the iPhone, dubbed Bowitter. The Japanese AppStore also has the original Japananese version available, dubbed “Bowlingual.”
The Bowitter app works by allowing users to analyze barking sounds from a dog and then translates those bark sounds into English words. Once received, the translations may then be shared on Twitter. The barking sound is translated in real time, with the “feeling” then translated into human words. The app also comes loaded with a sync feature for the user’s Twitter account(s).
The “Bowlingual” app was developed in September of 2002 by TAKARA TOMY CORPORATION (formerly TAKARA Corporation) as well as partners including Nihon Onkyo Research Labs, LLC, Index Corporation, and Professor Norio Kogure a specialist of animal behavior. “Bowlingual” utilizes the transmission of voice data as acquired by a miniature microphone. The microphone is hooked to a dog’s collar, with the main device analyzing sounds in real time and classifying emotions into six different categories. Emotions are displayed along with human words as the dog’s “Voice Translator.”
The “Bowlingual” app was so popular, it sold approximately 300,000 copies in Japan and abroad. It received an Ig Nobel Prize in the Peace category in October of 2002, as organized by the magazine Annals of Improbable Research. “Bowlingual” has been introduced to the mobile phone carrier, Vodafone, and in August of 2009, TAKARA TOMY CORPORATION launched “Bowlingual Voice,” the successor to “Bowlingual,” designed for translation and simultaneous usage on up to five devices.
The “Bowitter” app launched in March of 2012 and is compatible with the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and iPod Touch (2nd Gen or better with iOS 4.0+). It may be downloaded at www.itunes.com/appstore and is priced at $4.99.
Index Corporation provides and publishes interactive entertainment globally. Their high-end game brand, ATLUS, has published games for all major video game consoles and handheld systems including the PlayStation 3, Xbox360 from Microsoft Wii, DS, PSP, and PC.
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