It can be tough on both you and your pet, leaving them home alone all day while you’re at work. That’s why we’ve seen camera-equipped gadgets that let you check in on and interact with them … but what if the pet isn’t in the same room as the device? Well, that’s where the VAVA Mobile Pet Cam is intended to come in.
Featuring a 1080p/30fps camera with infrared night vision and a 120-degree wide-angle lens, the Wi-Fi-equipped VAVA streams real-time video and audio to the user – wherever they are – through an accompanying iOS/Android app. Footage and stills can be recorded and shared using a 1GB cloud storage system.
The app is also used to remotely control the device, which uses a pair of tank-like treads to make its way across floors and carpets, allowing the user to search for their pet. Integrated sensors automatically keep the VAVA from running into obstacles or falling down the stairs while en route. Once the dog or cat is located, the user can tele-play with them in real time using an onboard eye-safe laser pointer or an attached feather toy.
It’s also possible to dispense treats from an enclosed compartment, and to talk to the animal through an integrated speaker – although we’re not sure what the animal would think of their owner’s voice coming out of the device. Along those same lines, an alert system on the app automatically notifies users whenever their dog is barking, so they can check in to see what’s going on.
One charge of the device’s 5,000-mAh lithium-ion battery should reportedly be good for about eight hours of play/video time, or up to seven days on standby.
Should you be interested, the VAVA is currently the subject of an Indiegogo campaign. A pledge of US$149 will get you one – when and if they reach production – with the planned retail price sitting at $299. You can see it in action, in the video below.