Big blue button lets service dogs control human companions' devices

Tens of thousands of people rely on service dogs every day. They assist people with visual impairments, mobility disabilities, hearing loss, seizures, PTSD, and many other medical conditions. Service dogs are not just great companions – they are proven to significantly improve quality of life by helping people live more independently.

One of the main challenges in training service dogs is teaching them to interact with environments that were never really designed for them. Researchers at The Open University’s Animal-Computer Interaction Laboratory (ACI Lab) have spent years exploring ways to change that. Their goal was to create technology that could expand what service dogs are able to do while taking the animals’ abilities and behavior into account.

That’s how the Dogosophy Button was created. The name is short for “dog-centered design philosophy.” Instead of adapting human products for dogs, the idea was to design something specifically for canines.

“Dogs live in a world that is not designed with them in mind, which challenges and constrains their daily interactions with it. With the Dogosophy Button we want to begin to change that, by making our shared environments more accessible for dogs and more inclusive for all,” says Prof. Clara Mancini, the founding head of The Open University's ACI Lab.

The concept is as straightforward as it sounds: the Dogosophy Button is literally a button that allows dogs to turn appliances in the house on and off. With some training, a dog can control lights, fans, kettles, or almost any other plugged-in devices by pressing a large switch. The idea may seem pretty simple, but it could make a huge difference for people who struggle to reach switches or operate appliances independently.

The large blue pad and contrasting white casing make the button easy for dogs to spot against a wall. It has a grippy texture and is also easy to clean. The device responds to both nose-nudges and paw-presses, depending on what feels more natural for the dog. Although the button itself comes in only one size, it’s reportedly comfortable for dogs of different sizes.

The creators promise that teaching a dog how to use the button is easier than it may seem. They recommend two training methods: shaping and luring. Shaping involves rewarding the dog step-by-step as it learns to press the button independently, while luring involves placing a treat on the button to encourage the dog to interact with it and then gradually removing the reward.

The Dogosophy Button package includes the transmitter, the receiver, and some screws and adhesive fasteners to attach the button to surfaces. The transmitter is contained within the button, which requires three AA batteries. The receiver connects to a household appliance and registers the signal from the button. Once the signal is successfully received, the button displays a soft internal light as confirmation. Pairing the transmitter and receiver takes about 30 seconds. The button is wireless and works from up to 40 meters (131 feet) from the receiver.

The product is currently available only in the UK and can be ordered through Story & Sons for £80 (about US$100).

Sources: The Open University, Dogosophy Button