metro >> on the cover

Something
To Bark About

A tail-wagging idea helps keep
dogs safe and well-trained.

Shelli Liebman Dorfman I Contributing Writer

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

A December online Kickstarter cam-
paign raised more than its $50,000
goal for the collar that transmits data
— including GPS tracking information
and two-way audio communication
between the pet and owner — through a
Smartphone app.
"The WUF team is incredibly excited
by the interest expressed from nearly
500 backers for our collar during the
Kickstarter campaign," said Ozeran, a
graduate of Hillel Day School and West
Bloomfield High.
The current plan, he said, is "to
extend our distribution via online order-
ing and strategic partners. From there,
we hope to move to retail locations as
demand increases and as opportunities
arise.
"We can't wait to connect with
our growing dog-loving community
throughout 2015, which will now also
include a limited beta program for own-
ers hoping to get their paws on the col-
lar earlier (than the initial date of fall
2015), in return for their testing and
feedback:"

Staying Connected
Kelly says 10 million dogs run away
every year. But beyond the tracking
of a lost pooch,
the WUF col-
lar includes a
motion-sensing
unit, Bluetooth
and an invisible
leash compo-
nent, with the
pet owner noti-
fied through a
Smartphone if the
Sean Kelly, WUF
dog approaches
CEO
a set perimeter.
At that point, the
collar emits a vibration that the dog is
trained to understand as a command to
stop. Through the collar's two-way audio

10 January 8 • 2015

JN

system, the pet owner can speak to the
dog, encouraging it with instructions to
come back home.
Dubbed a "wearable learning device,"
the audio component also is used for
obedience-training commands, game
instructions or even just to say 'hi' when
the dog and his human are apart.
"Pet parents will be able to access
breed-specific training guides and tips
as well as dog-specific training prog-
ress within the mobile application, on
demand at any time," Ozeran said. "And
through the WUF community, valuable
training suggestions and insights will
also be available from other pet parents.
"A microphone can listen in and is
capable of sending alerts when certain
audio cues are detected or specific
thresholds are met, like the dog is bark-
ing, crying, whining, growling or whim-
pering unexpectedly."
Short audio commands can be
recorded within the mobile application.
In addition, Ozeran said, "A powerful
speaker makes talking to a dog possible
from anywhere in the world:'
Kelly said, "Most dog owners have the
best intentions but a lack of know-how
when it comes to getting the behavior
they want from their pups, and the
training industry hasn't changed in
decades. WUF believes there is a better
way to fit training and education into
our daily lives to empower a whole gen-
eration of more capable and confident
dog owners, leading to better behaved,
more balanced and healthier dogs:'
Ozeran, a software engineer and
product designer who grew up in West
Bloomfield, joined Kelly last fall. "My
background is in digital product devel-
opment, technology startups and mobile
engineering," he said. "[Sean] needed a
partner to take both the hardware and
software further."
Ozeran holds a bachelor's degree in
political science from the University of
Michigan in Ann Arbor and a master's
degree in computer and information sys-

tems from Northwestern University in
Chicago, where he now lives.
"The WUF smart collar studies a
dog's sounds, movements, location his-
tory and interactions to create a rich
profile of its behavior," he said.
Its accelerometer measures the pet's
activity and inactivity to learn how
many calories it burns to help with feed-
ing quantities.

Getting A WUF
In addition to being waterproof and
shockproof, the casing of the collar
is — ingeniously — also bite-proof.
Composed of sleek, ultra-stiff, durable
elastomer, it comes in gray and orange
with plans to offer more colors and
styles.
"The collar's interchangeable system
allows for multiple colors and further
personalization, like vibrant orange for a
trip to the park, cool grey when walking
around town, camouflage for the week-
end in the woods," Ozeran said.
"The collar hardware and casing work
in conjunction with existing collar straps
and come in a variety of sizes. We plan
to offer the collar hardware, casing and
strap as a single, purchasable product
but anticipate most pet parents wanting
to use their existing collar straps:'
WUF ships with a built-in, globally
enabled SIM card, with $10 in data cred-
its that work like a prepaid cell phone
plan with a pay-as-you-go balance.
The goal of WUF is to manufacture
the collar in the U.S., with the initial
WUF app being built for iOS devices
running iOS 5 and higher. Development
of Android and Windows is being dis-
cussed for the future.
The patent-pending collar is powered
by lithium ion batteries, with a charger
provided.
"The technology itself has enormous
potential, from consumers to search and
rescue, to military, guide and service
dogs," Kelly said.
There may be other pet-tracking prod-

Image of prototype of WUF, the World's
Smartest Dog Collar

ucts around as well as training devices
that include shock, vibration and anti-
bark methodologies; but on the WUF
website, creators boast that none of
them "is taking the approach that WUF
has invented, turning a product that is
always with your dog into a learning
device that recognizes, analyzes and
advises in real time:'
"WUF is a collar unlike any that have
come before it," Ozeran said. "IiNTUF' is
our company's unique branding, which
represents our internationalism as a
team:'
Even its spelling is distinctive, with
two dots above the V, which he said,
"allows for multiple different pronun-
ciations because every dog also has a
unique bark:'
Seeing the device as benefiting every
dog, Ozeran said, "The WUF smart col-
lar helps pet parents forge a deeper con-
nection with `man's best friend' in order
to keep them safe, active, healthy and
happy:'
Kelly reflects on how his family pet
led him to bring those advantages to
other dogs. "Roxie's death gave me the
motivation and inspiration I needed
to form a high-tech company:' he said.
"Such a beautiful little dog with so much
life to live cut short at just Ph years old.
"I have always been a believer to
walk the world with your eyes open
because there are signs and inspiration
all around us. We can either let tragedy
destroy us or we can use it as fuel. And
with how many other dog-owning fami-
lies affected by this same sort of thing,
I've been burning with this fuel ever
since," he said. "Roxie's loss will lead to
millions of other dogs being found:"

❑

For more information, go to getWOF.com or
send an email to hello@getWUF.com .