The Meowlingual (Read about it-Yes, Guys our cats can now talk)

New software translates the cat's meow

By CNETAsia Staff
CNETAsia
July 17, 2003, 8:37 AM PT


Japanese toymaker looks set to herald a new age of communication between humans and felines with a device which converts a cat's meows into human speech.

The Meowlingual, a gadget which gives cat owners Dr. Dolittle-like powers of discerning their pets' emotions, will be launched in Japan this November, a company spokeswoman told newswire AFP.

This announcement comes a year after the firm introduced a similar device--Bowlingual--which translates a dog's woofs into words through voice-pattern recognition.




Bowlingual consists of a wireless microphone that is attached to the dog's collar and a terminal which analyzes and matches each bark with a set of pre-programmed phrases. The device detects feelings--including happiness, frustration and sadness--and displays the associated expressions on the terminal's LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screen.

Meowlingual is expected to work in a similar fashion, although for the half the cost of its canine predecessor.

The cat language translator device has a price tag of 8,800 yen (US$75), significantly less than the 14,800 yen (US120$) dog owners pay for Bowlingual, the report said. Despite the higher price, Takara said demand for the Bowlingual has outstripped supply, with over 300,000 units being sold six months after its launch last September. Since then, the device has been launched in South Korea and is now geared for its U.S. debut next month.

The firm now hopes to equal this success and aims to achieve the same sales tally for the Meowlingual by 2004, according to the report.

"We do not have an immediate plan to sell the product (the Meowlingual) overseas but this could be a possibility," the spokeswoman was quoted as saying.

For my cat all you would need is a chip that detects a meow and translates that into a message that says "Feed Me!"

:)


--MAB

One of my Cats meows Mom every time he comes up to me. My other 17 year old Cat Sammy has a running meoowwwwwyyyowwww and it sounds like she has three syllables every time she talks and it's exactly the same each time.
My other Cat Val bitches all of the time. He was a homeless Cat and I would love to hear about what he is bitching about all of the time.

What will they make next the Bushalator that translates Bush language into English.

That's the womens' rights organization in Afghanistan. She's globally aware, my cat.

I think he might put the dang thing into overload, he's so mouthy.

Suspicions

Had to call Verizon yesterday because of problems with the DSL.

Evidence Gathering

Connected with a 'voice recognition program' that took my info and a general description of the problem, then flipped me into 'terminal hold' mode after informing me the wait would be over 30 minutes.

Reading Between the Lines
Hey, you just hold on, we'll get to ya when we get to ya, and not before. This conversation will be held on our terms, not yours, so just hold yer horses, bucko.

Conclusion

Meowlingual is being used. Verizon has been infiltrated, overthrown, and is now run by cats.


Not quite willing to gather further proof-
If anyone would like to take this on, I figure the next course would be to fail to pay the bill and see how fast they jump to shut off the service.

This part is based on experience with cats. If they want something, they want it NOW. If you ask for something in return, it must fit into their agenda and their schedule.

Bowlingual, on the other hand, would be eager to take the call. They would happily and quickly respond. The problems would be addressed immediately and the system would be much more forgiving of a late payment- or two- or three.

Now cats can give orders to everyone, not just their people, like me. :bounce:

i'm not sure i can move any faster.
those two don't need no steenkinking translator -- they already have 4 -- yes count them 4 -- humans jumping at their every whim. and i mean jump. oh we are pathetic.

They can tell us that they are not in the mood for meat, poultry or lamb and that we shouldn't waste our money because they wouldn't eat it if we put it down so, we should put the fish dish on their plate instead.

I'll have what you're eating.

They use the same kinds of vocal inflections that humans do, and similar facial expressions.

I understand Sebastian Cattbutt perfectly.


DEMMAN

I was going to name my Alexander Sebastian. I call Alex Mr. Tinkles because he is so cute when he goes to the litter pan he comes up to me and Meows and then goes to the bathroom. It's like he is saying hey Mom I am going to take a tinkle right now.

:)

I would probably buy such a product. :)

I am fairly fluent on my own in Meow, but every once in awhile my cats will stump me with something.

One of my guys, Junior, will go into the bathroom and wedge himself between the wall and open door and just wail into the corner. It's the sadess, most pathetic sound he makes and I have yet to figure out what he wants.

I get upset when they cry like something is wrong. I would buy one for the hell of it.