Gaming is for everyone…including dogs according to U.K.-based startup Joipaw who is designing games for our canine friends using a custom saliva-resistant touchscreen console. What initially started out as a way to keep their energetic dog Kawet occupied during the times that co-founder Dersim Avdar and his wife weren’t able to give their full attention has evolved into something much more.
Based on a study from 2017 where several researchers found potential cognitive benefits for dogs with aging brains, Avdar began expanding the idea from an attention grabber to a potential aid to dogs’ overall health. The hardest challenge during the prototyping stage has been initially getting the screen to grab the dog’s attention without putting peanut butter on it. Once the screen has the pup’s attention, the console can give up to a potential 30-minute challenge that can tire a dog in the near-term and improve its mental capacity in the long-term. While details on the games are currently limited, we know that they include the whack-a-mole challenge pictured above, as well as a test to choose which side or quadrant has the most bubbles in it. Avdar goes on to state that Joipaw’s games are not meant as a replacement for spending time with your dog(s), but rather a way to enhance your dog(s)’s overall health.
While Joipaw doesn’t have a timeframe for the console’s release or a pricing model for the device and its potential games subscription, you can read more about the project here and visit Joipaw’s website here.
Image from: Joipaw
