Tired of Fido dragging dead squirrels through the doggy door? Or is Mittens letting mice run wild around the house? Well, the new Flappie smart pet door aims to solve that icky problem once and for all.
This high-tech kitty entrance uses a motion sensor camera and A.I. to identify approaching animals. After compiling a huge proprietary dataset of various critters in different lighting, Flappie claims their system can accurately detect prey over 90% of the time. So no more surprise dead rodents on the living room floor!
Of course, nothing is foolproof. The occasional mouse might still slip by if the kitty catches on and drops the prey right before entering. But the Flappie door should drastically cut down on unwanted “gifts” from pets.
There’s a manual lock too for when you just want to shut it down completely. And if your furball has a microchip, the door will only unlock for them specifically.
An app allows you to control access from your phone. But the door functions fine on its own too if you don’t want to connect it online.
Flappie plans to first launch in Switzerland, Germany and Zurich this spring. No word yet on when it’ll hit the US or for how much. But once manufacturing scales up, American pet owners can hopefully look forward to fewer dead mice scattered around the house.
It’s impossible to stop resourceful cats and dogs from bringing prey inside entirely. But Flappie’s A.I. powered entrance gives it a darn good try. No more stepping on squished rats in the dark! This high-tech kitty door could let people enjoy the perks of an animal companion without the gross downsides.
