SNIF Tag: Pet Tracking Meets Social Networking (VIDEO)

Want to keep track of your dog and meet other pet owners at the same time? A new Web-based invention called the SNIF Tag promises to make it happen. Created at the MIT Media Lab, the SNIF Tag works as a sort of Internet-connected monitor with a built-in social component.

SNIF Tag: How It Works

The SNIF Tag is actually a small sensor worn on your dog’s collar. It transmits data about the dog’s activity level back to your computer, then sends the data to a secure Web site. The idea, then, is that you can watch what your dog is up to when you aren’t around — to see if, for example, if your dog walker is really giving the animal the exercise he promises.

SNIF Tag: The Social Component

The social networking service has two parts: First, you have the option of building an online profile for your dog, then interacting with other pet owners using the service. The SNIF Tag creators suggest using this not only for fun, but also to see how your dog stacks up with other animals when it comes to activity levels and health.

The second and more innovative area comes when your dog interacts with another SNIF Tag-wearing dog. The two tags will sense each other and log the activity — so you could then see who the other animal’s owner is and get to know them.

The SNIF Tag runs $149. More information can be found on the official site here.

SNIF Tag Video

The following video demonstrates the SNIF Tag and its various features.