Gwanak District in Seoul has forged a new agreement with PetNow on April 17 to energize the animal registration system with a pilot project that uses artificial intelligence (AI) technology. PetNow is a company renowned for its pioneering technologies in the pet industry, having developed cutting-edge biometric recognition services for pets since 2018. Notably, their excellence in the field was acknowledged with a prestigious innovation award at the ‘CES2022’, the world’s largest consumer electronics show.
The newly devised biometric recognition service for pets allows pet owners to register their animals with ease by taking a picture of their pet’s nose wrinkles (biometric patterns), also known as the “nose print,” and uploading it to an app. This simple procedure greatly enhances the efficiency of reuniting lost pets with their owners. The PetNow app enables anyone who finds a lost pet to quickly identify and contact the owner by snapping a photo and searching the system.
At the signing ceremony, which took place at the Gwanak District Office, major representatives from both institutions, including Gwanak District Mayor Park Jun-hee and PetNow CEO Lim Jun-ho, cemented the partnership. Moving forward, the alliance will execute several initiatives. These initiatives include promoting AI-based biometric registration services at local veterinary clinics and pet stores, encouraging participation at community pet-related events through booths and information dissemination, and sharing regular updates on the project’s progress.
Park Jun-hee, Mayor of Gwanak District, expressed his anticipation that the biometric animal registration demonstration will lead the way in fostering a harmonious culture where people and pets thrive together, positioning Gwanak as a leading district in pet culture.
Important Questions and Answers:
– What is the main purpose of the partnership between Gwanak District and PetNow?
The core objective is to modernize and streamline the pet registration process by incorporating AI-based biometric recognition technology into the animal registration system.
– How does PetNow’s biometric recognition work for pets?
Pets are registered by taking a photo of the pet’s nose, capturing the unique pattern similar to a human fingerprint, which is then uploaded to an app for identification purposes.
– What are some expected outcomes of the biometric registration initiative?
It aims to simplify the process of finding and returning lost pets, increase the rate of pet registrations, and promote responsible pet ownership.
Key Challenges or Controversies:
– Data privacy concerns: Pet owners may have reservations about uploading their pet’s biometric data into a database, raising concerns about data security and privacy.
– Technological limitations: While AI technology is advanced, it may not always be accurate, and there may be instances where pets cannot be identified correctly, possibly due to poor image quality or changes in the pet’s appearance.
– Public adoption: The success of such initiatives depends on how well they are received by the public and whether pet owners are willing to participate actively.
Advantages:
– Improved reunification rates for lost pets with their owners.
– Simplified and faster registration process for new pet owners.
– Increased chances of lost pets being identified by strangers and rescuers.
Disadvantages:
– Potential issues with the accuracy of AI recognition, especially if the biometric patterns change over time.
– Data privacy and security concerns with storing biometric information.
– Dependence on technological access and literacy among pet owners for effective use.
For more information about the pet industry and AI technology, you can visit the following:
– Consumer Electronics Show
– PetNow (Considering PetNow’s involvement, it is included though I can’t guarantee the current validity of this URL.)
– Gwanak District Government (Even though not a provided example, this would typically be the official government site for the Gwanak District, however, I cannot guarantee the validity of the URL.)
The source of the article is from the blog klikeri.rs