\nProf Clara Mancini, pictured with Kara, is behind the development of Dogosophy [Open University]<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Prof Clara Mancini, who led on the product’s design and research, said: “Dogs, particularly those trained to support people, are asked to interface with an environment that is not constructed for them.<\/p>\n
“We wanted to rethink this in a way in that would help dogs, so we studied how they interact with the world around them.<\/p>\n
“They see blue well, so that’s the colour of the button, and we put white casing around it to create contrast.<\/p>\n
“It also needed to be wireless so it could be positioned where it would be most accessible for the dog to reach.”<\/p>\n
Prof Mancini has trained her own dog, a husky named Kara, to use the Dogosophy Button.<\/p>\n
She said: “The challenge with huskies is that they’re not very biddable, whereas something like a Labrador is easier to train.<\/p>\n
“If you catch a husky’s interest, they will engage – otherwise, they won’t.”<\/p>\n
The Dogosophy Button is on the market for \u00a396, which includes VAT.<\/p>\n
Prof Mancini added: “Humans have designed a world measured on themselves – we are taking over and pushing all other species out.<\/p>\n
“We wanted to have something that was a bit of a statement to give dogs a bit of control over an environment that we haven’t designed for them.<\/p>\n
“It puts them a little bit more on par with us.”<\/p>\n
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