Pet Sounds

Zhu Cataloging the Language of Animals

One year after receiving a grant to study canine vocalizations, computer science and engineering Professor Kenny Zhu has compiled the world's largest video and audio catalog of canine barks, growls, and whimpers-and discovered a set of words and phonemes dogs use to communicate.

The research holds strong commercial promise and could extend to other species, including cats, crows, and livestock.

"In the future, we might be able to apply our methods to chickens or cattle and be able to identify when diseases are beginning to spread through the flock or the herd," Dr. Zhu says. "If we can understand what the animals are communicating, we can take steps earlier to stop the spread, save farmers money, and keep illnesses from affecting public health." ₪