Wired for hound: animal wearables

Wearable technology is the buzz among global corporations vying to produce the jacket that charges a cell phone, helmet that becomes an airbag or sports bra that measures heart rate. A new report from IDTechEx, a Cambridge, U.K., business research firm, suggests that wearable technologies are also going to the dogs… cats… and other domestic and wild animals. “Wearable Technology for Animals 2015-2025” predicts that the global market for wearable technology for animals will reach $1 billion in 2025. Applications in mature stages of development include animal identification and tracking products, as well as technology for facilitation, safety and security. Product applications still in early stages include behavior monitoring and control, as well as medical diagnosis and treatment. During the next decade, expenditure on medical diagnosis devices will increase in market share from 11 to 23 percent.