Wearable tech for animals is becoming big business. A look at market niches, examples, and what the future will bring. Quantified self is evolving to Quantified Earth. What movement patterns across our planet would you monitor? Why and how? A list of references and resources is available at http://caroltorgan.com/animals-wearable-tech-quantified-earth/

1. Quantified Self
is evolving to
Quantified Earth
Wearable Tech for all Creatures Great and Small
Carol Torgan, Ph.D.
Photo courtesy of Chris Jupin on Flickr © Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016

2. We already know that tracking has
gone to the dogs …
© Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016

3. Images L to R, Top: Fujitsu Wandant, Fitbark, Whistle. Bottom: Tractive GPS, Pettag+ PAHW, WonderWoof.
© Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016

4. But that’s just the beginning
© Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016

5. Consider the potential size
of the non-human
wearable tech market …
© Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016

6. ∼7.77 million species
of animals on Earth predicted
Mora, C., et al. How many species are there on earth and in the ocean? PLoS Biol. 9, e1001127 (2011).
© Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016

7. Wearable tech market niches:
pets
livestock
wild animals
competitive animals
endangered species
work animals
zoo animals
and so on
© Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016

8. “Time to cash out on your investments
in human-focused wearables
and invest in ones
for the four-legged variety.”
– Bridgette Meinhold, Ecouterre
www.ecouterre.com/wearable-tech-market-for-pets-expected-to-reach-2-6-billion-by-2025/

9. “… a golden age of
animal tracking science
has begun …”
–Roland Kays, et al.
Science, 12 June 2015, 248 (6240)
http://science.sciencemag.org/content/348/6240/aaa2478

10. A few examples …
© Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016

11. Food production
Image courtesy of
pascalk on Flickr

12. Dairy & beef production : Cows
Image courtesy of www.scrdairy.com/cow-intelligence/cow-intelligence-overview.html
Collar sensor
3-axis accelerometer
magnetometer
Predict
when in heat
when lame
when sick
feeding behavior
© Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016

13. Track rainfall, soil moisture + cow movement
Guide decisions about when to irrigate
when and where to move grazing cattle
Sense-T Pasture Predictor: www.sense-t.org.au/projects-and-research/past-projects#Beef
Cow tracking + Environment tracking
© Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016

14. Sensor for cattle, bison, goats, sheep, camels
and other ruminant mammals
Place in rumen (1 of 4 stomach compartments)
Wireless, invisible
Lifetime placement
Stays upright
Track location
Monitor health
Recover stolen animals
Ruminant breeds : Internal sensor
Image: Wireless Rumen Bolus (WRB)
From Neil Helfrich, Wandering Shepherd, http://wrb.farm/
© Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016

15. Aquaculture
photo courtesy Justin Marx on Flickr

16. Aquaculture : Oyster tracking
Track heart rate, feeding, water column position, shell gape
Environment tracking: Water temp, salinity, light level
University of Tasmania and CSIRO
http://www.csiro.au/en/Research/D61/Areas/Robotics-and-autonomous-systems/Sensing-and-
mapping-our-environment/Biosensors-discovering-the-secret-life-of-oysters
Use tagged animals as
sentinels
for commercial farmed oysters
Predict harvest time
Minimize environmental impact
© Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016

17. https://twitter.com/DrSarz/status/555250139510480896

18. Safety

19. Acoustic tags implanted in stomachs
Detect real time location via satellites
Send automated alerts when sharks near beaches
https://twitter.com/slswa http://surflifesavingwa.com.au
www.fish.wa.gov.au/About-Us/Media-releases/Pages/_archive/Milestone-for-WA-shark-alert-system.aspx
Safety alerts : Sharks
© Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016

20. Elite athletic
performance
Photo courtesy of lunzygras on Flickr

21. Elite athletic performance : Horses
Gait analysis
3-axis accelerometer
3-axis gyrometer
3-axis magnetometer
GPS
Photo courtesy of Gordon Dionne on Flickr Tracker: http://equisense.com/en/
© Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016

22. Athletic performance
Equisense tracker, http://equisense.com/en/
Measures
speed
cadence
elevation
stride length
jump trajectory
symmetry
path
Performance
jumping
eventing
dressage
endurance
© Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016

23. Sleep
Photo courtesy of Thowra_uk on Flickr

24. Understanding sleep : Sloths
Track
EEG
location
Determine
sleep amount
sleep types (REM)
predator risk vs. patterns
diet effects
Image and info: Ecology and neurophysiology of sleep in two wild sloth species,
B. Voirin et al, Sleep. 2014 Apr 1; 37(4).
© Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016

25. Food availability
Photo courtesy of Peterkbza on Flickr

26. Food availability : Adélie penguins
Measures
Animals: GPS, video camera
3-D accelerometers on back, head
(Difference between head and
body accelerations = feeding)
Environment: depth, temperature
Look at spatial, temporal patterns
Yuuki, Y. et al, Testing optimal foraging theory in a penguin–krill system.
Proc. The Royal Society B, 29 Jan 2014.
Image: National Institute of Polar Research © Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016
Track behaviors of penguins in Antarctic as dive
Understand how animals search for and find food

27. Crop pollination
Image from CSIRO, Australia

28. Image and info:
www.csiro.au/en/Research/BF/Areas/Protecting-Australias-agricultural-industries/Robot-technology/Swarm-sensing
Swarm sensing
Micro-sensors on thousands of honey bees
RFID sensors record when insects pass checkpoints
Monitor movements, schedule
Behavior change = environmental change
Crop pollination : Bees

29. In the future
wearable tech will
track movement and behavior
of animals moving
across the globe
© Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016

30. Micro:
causes of movement patterns in an animal
Macro:
consequences of movement patterns in groups
© Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016

31. Wearable tech in animals
will play an essential role in:
food supply
public safety
conservation
companionship
understanding physiology
anticipating natural disasters
predicting disease outbreaks
© Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016

32. Quantified Self is evolving to Quantified Earth
Wearable tech will be on all creatures great and small
Photo courtesy of Chris Jupin on Flickr

33. This presentation expands on part of an invited talk given at the
International Conference on Ambulatory Monitoring
of Physical Activity and Movement (ICAMPAM)
www.ismpb.org/2015-limerick
© Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016
Disclaimers
The products and tools shown are for illustrative and educational purposes only.
I do not endorse or recommend any commercial products, processes, or
services.

34. Thank you for viewing!
What movement pattern across our planet
would you monitor?
Why? How?
Carol Torgan, PhD, FACSM
Kinetics Consulting
http://caroltorgan.com
Twitter @ctorgan
Full list of references and resources:
http://caroltorgan.com/animals-wearable-tech-quantified-earth
Wearable Tech board:
http://pinterest.com/caroltpin/
© Carol Torgan, Ph.D. 2016