Free cat language translator
MeowTalk by Akvelon Inc. is a leisure app that records your cat’s meows and translates them into simple human language. The software behind it uses the data and meanings attached to the files to start recognizing your pet’s intents. It’s still in the early development stages, though.
Understand your cat
Feline experts say that cats are active communicators, using specific language to talk to humans. However, each specimen has a unique vocabulary it uses to deliver particular phrases.
So, MeowTalk can’t use a universal database to translate all meows. However, it can start mapping your cat’s language patterns and evolving with each new recording you input.
For now, the developers included only the basic requests your pet might have, but it can still be useful for new cat owners.
Easy to use
The simple UI you’ll find on MeowTalk comes with several essential functions. You create a profile for every pet, recording them, and then train the app to learn their unique vocabulary. You’ll label each cat meow by observing the it’s body language.
The system will require five to ten examples for each intent before recognizing it by itself. Note, however, that the language recognition system gets updated once a day, so you might have to wait up to 24 hours to start taking advantage of the new knowledge you fed it.
Ambitious goals
Javier Sanchez is one of the main actors in this app’s development, and he explained that MeowTalk is the first step towards a larger goal.
Since most felines produce some versions of sounds with basic intentions such as ‘I’m hungry’ or ‘I’m hurting,’ the artificial intelligence could finetune itself to place it on a universal plan.
Eventually, machine learning is used to understand cat language and translate it, the devs could use it to create a smart collar that would automatically translate your cat’s general intentions.
Our take
MeowTalk is still far from ideal. It’s slow, glitchy, and often inaccurate. Still, the idea behind it is exciting and potentially game-changing, and it’s likely to get better with time.
Should you download it?
Yes. If you have a cat, why not play around with the app? It’ll get better the more you use it, and you’ll contribute to the ultimate goal.
