Sure Petcare’s view from CES
25th February 2019
Sure Petcare attended CES in Las Vegas for the first time in January, with over 180,00 technology buyers, journalists and enthusiasts visiting over 4000 companies in attendance.
For the last 50 years, CES has been the place for businesses to meet to identify the key trends and next-generation innovations. From smart lighting, automations systems, bedroom tech and toilets, pet technology was recognised as a key development in the technology space and we were able to present this to several companies, and pet lovers, who visited our stand.
For Sure Petcare, this was the perfect place for us to showcase our connected product ecosystem; a suite of smart pet products which are designed to work together to offer pet owners a proactive way to care for their pets.
With a big picture of our office dog, Mia, at the very centre of our 20x20m stand, we were constantly busy speaking to pet owners about their own needs too. We were even featured on Channel 8 Las Vegas on the CBS Network, where Dr Nick Hill showed the audience our Connected Pet Ecosystem and how data helps owners to care for their pets in entirely new ways. (link through to recording?)
Our ecosystem features two connected doors, the SureFlap Microchip Cat Flap Connect and the SureFlap Microchip Pet Door Connect, and Animo, an activity and behaviour monitor for dogs.
The Sure Petcare Connected Pet Ecosystem
Connected pet doors
The SureFlap Microchip Cat Flap Connect is the world’s most advanced cat flap, combining microchip reading technology to keep intruder animals out and app connectivity to enable remote locking and an insight into a cat’s behaviour over time. DualScan™ technology enables certain cats to be kept indoors whilst others can come and go freely. A pet’s permissions can be changed easily at any time with the Sure Petcare app. Meanwhile, the SureFlap Microchip Pet Door Connect is our larger door, which is ideal for large cat breeds and small dogs.
SureFlap connected doors plot a pet’s activity in and out of the house over time using graphs, which can highlight changes in a pet’s behaviour. For example, if a cat starts going outside more than usual, this could mean that they are going to the toilet more due to possible illness, which may require a trip to the vets. Without a connected door, this type of activity may go unnoticed, especially if an owner is at work for much of the day.
Animo – activity and behaviour monitor for dogs
Animo is a collar-mounted device that is designed as a lifelong addition to a dog’s daily care. Animo learns and interprets the unique activity and behaviour patterns of an individual dog, helping owners to adapt their pet’s care to meet the changes in their needs as they get older. It can track a dog’s activity levels and owners can set daily goals to ensure their dog gets enough exercise. Animo monitors sleep quality and highlights raised levels of barking, scratching or shaking, which could be an indication of illness or discomfort.
Further connected products
These products are just some of the building blocks that make up the Sure Petcare connected product ecosystem. We have further products to add to the suite including our SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect, launching in the coming months. CES attendees had a first look at the Microchip Pet Feeder Connect, which will be able to weigh a pet’s food, allow portion control and indicate how regularly and how much a pet eats. Keeping track of a pet’s feeding habits can prevent obesity and highlight if a pet is unwell if their feeding habits change.
When used together, each individual monitoring device in the connected product ecosystem will give a comprehensive picture of a pet’s health and wellbeing.
We are set to return in 2020, with further products to be added to the ecosystem and new exciting ways for owners to use tech to help support their pet’s wellbeing.
