Israelis develop sophisticated early warning system - dogs

Can't distinguish between your dog barking out of boredom or because an intruder is lurking nearby? The Israeli government, a leader in surveillance technology, has developed technology that can interpret a dog's bark, reports Reuters.

Called "Doguard," the Dog Bio Security system is in place in high-security Eshel Prison as well as Israeli military bases, and other areas in the West Bank. The impetus behind developing such technology is to eventually replace or supplement expensive electronic surveillance systems.

"There is currently very little utilization of the watchdog's early warning capabilities," says privately owned manufacturer Bio-Sense Technologies, based in the Israeli town of Petah Tikva, on its website.

Bio-Sense Technologies used computers to analyze 350 barks and found dogs of all breeds and sizes barked the same alarm when they sensed a threat. Since dogs have superior sense of smell and night vision than human, they make great early warning detectors. Doguard interprets the bark and alerts dozens of sensors around the facility.

The device, however, is not foolproof. The dogs have set off several false alarms when first set up at Eshel Prison. At a water installation and farm in central Israel, the dogs triggered several false alarms, officials said.

"The dogs need two to three weeks to adapt - they must get to know their territory," said Daniel Low, chief executive officer of Meniv Rishon, the municipal water system of the Israeli town of Rishon Lezion.