Just like our fingerprints, the shape and pattern of each dog's nose is unique to that animal. Bearing this in mind, pet food company Iams has launched a "nose-centric" app for identifying lost dogs – appropriately enough, it's called NOSEiD.
After initially downloading the free iOS/Android app, users start by following the onscreen prompts, utilizing their smartphone to take a close-up end-on photo of their dog's nose. They also provide a physical description of the animal. All of that data is combined into a profile, which is uploaded to a cloud-based server.
When a user's dog subsequently goes missing, that person utilizes the app to send an alert to other app-users in the region. If any of those people come across a dog that matches the description, they use the app to scan its nose. Should the scan confirm that the dog is indeed the missing pooch, the finder can contact the owner via the app.
The NOSEiD system is currently limited to the city of Nashville, Tennessee, where it's being trialled. Anyone can download the app from the App Store or Google Play, though, and will be notified when the service is available in their area. The technology is outlined in the video below.
Needless to say, users are strongly advised to also utilize traditional forms of pet identification, such as tags and microchips.
Source: Iams
