Taiwanese company 42ARK launched an Indiegogo campaign Tuesday for a device that uses facial recognition technology to feed cats.
The feeder, called Bistro, comes with a food bowl and water dish inside so cats have to stick their heads inside the device in order to eat and drink, according to PC Magazine. The device can be used to keep track of the cat's diet thanks to its facial recognition system, which detects when the animal is eating. A scale is also included and measures the cat's weight and the loss in mass from the water and food dishes.
Mu-Chi Sung, co-founder of 42ARK, first came up with the idea for the Bistro after one of his pets, Momo, developed pancreatitis and stopped eating and drinking, The Verge reported. Sung didn't notice the illness right away because his other pets were eating Momo's food. He decided to invent a kibble dispenser that was capable of recognizing which cat was coming to eat.
Pet owners will also be able to use a camera inside the Bistro to live stream when their cats are feeding, which they can do by setting up the Bistro app to let them know when it's mealtime. The camera lets users watch their cats' feeding sessions while they're at work or on the go.
"It's also a social network," Sung explained. "You can use this device to establish your cat's profile."
Sung added that users can post pictures of their cats, as well as their feeding history, to the profile.
"It's basically a live stream of your cats' everyday moments," he said.
Sung recommended in an email that pet owners not use the Bistro to feed mover three cats "because otherwise the food/water will run out too fast."
The kibble feeder is currently being marketed only for cats because of its size, but Sung said pet owners might be able to use it for small dogs, The Verge reported.
The Bistro is currently available for $149 USD for early backers of the campaign, and its official price is $179. Sung expects the price for the feeder to go up to $249 once it becomes available in stores. 42ARK is looking to send the Bistros to backers by February 2015 if the device is successful.
