It is well known that dog's hearing range and human's hearing range are different. By using a microphone that is sensitive to frequencies way above and below human hearing, we can use a computer to shift dog hearing frequencies into human hearing range and vice versa, doing for hearing what a a false-color image does for vision. The goal is to improve communication with our pets.
If nothing else, it would be really cool to be able to hear things that you normally cannot. If we had a couple "tuning" knobs to control the range we are listening to, we could "tune-in" all sorts of things. In the reverse, when we speak into the device we may be surprised at our dogs' reactions!
By experimenting with this device, one should be able to improve communication with their pets.... and who knows what else? maybe aliens? God?
I think we will find that dogs are vastly more intelligent than we imagine, limited only by their ability to communicate with us.
If anyone is interested in developing this device as a commercial product please let me know. I would love to work with you and to develop it without a patent and as an open source software project. Read the Perfect Personal Audio Memory idea to get a flavor for my technical knowledge level.
nate
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I just would like to say: Why not!
You don't really need a computer, you can do audio frequency shifting with plain analog electronics, although a DSP system may make it easier somehow.
This is from http://www.vodafone.jp/english/products/kisyu/v601sh/index.html, a really cool new mobile phone. It says it can translate your dog's barks. With the Dog Ear idea here, however, you can actually listen to the frequency and volume shifted sounds comng from your dog(s), translated into the frequendcy and volumen range that humans are better at processing... and vice versa... this phone doesn't really communicate, it just receives... you have to be able to send and receive messages to communicate (communication is two way, not just broadcast).
"First in mobile phones! Bow-Lingual CONNECT support to translate the meaning of dog barks. Expands your scope of communications.A sensor discerns and categorizes dog barks, translating them through 7 modes into words and pictograms that humans can understand. See what your pooch is saying, and gain a deeper level of understanding. * The application for Bow-Lingual CONNECT is pre-installed in the V601SH, however to use the dog bark translation mode, it is necessary to purchase a separate Bow-Lingual CONNECT Card and insert it into the SD card slot. * There is only limited stock of Bow-Lingual CONNECT and it. It may be sold out at some Vodafone shops."
We should be able to make a battery powered hearing-aid that goes inside a dog's ear. We could adjust the audio frequencies and sensitivity (volume) via remote control and test this theory out.
I know dogs can hear double range, but can they make anyinaudible sounds? As for hearing inaudible sounds, you need a small electret mike (your pc may have one)and either:1. a tape recorder with 2 speeds,or2. a sound editor with changeable sample rate,44100 is the CD sampling rate and it gets dog range.Reducing to 22100 or 11050 can make near ultrasound audible.Some sound editors can change pitch without speed,or speed without pitch.Pitch lowered without speed change is what you want,(but low pitch and slow is a little useful)and will allow you to hear rodents, dog whistles and stuff.
I don't see any use for canine interspecies communication.
Forgot to mention lowering the sample rate will reducethe sound quality if pitch or speed are not changed.