Since the first time I tried a retractable leash to walk my dog over a decade ago, I've never used a regular leash. I thought that was one of the best inventions of all time for tackling a daily chore. But it looks like a bit of clever tech might have just made it way better.
You see, the trouble with a retractable leash is that when it's unlocked and the leash is loose, your dog can bolt away from you and cause all kinds of havoc. If you're chatting with someone, glancing at your phone (yeah, maybe you shouldn't do that while walking your pet), or are otherwise distracted, this can catch you off guard.
The Hello.it leash promises to put an end to this with an electronic emergency brake that locks up within milliseconds of sensing your dog starting to sprint or lunge away. As someone who's had this happen way too many times when my pup has spotted a sassy cat across the street, I couldn't be more excited about this breakthrough in Canis-Sapien coexistence technology.
That's already an infomercial-like-but-actually-useful solution to a common problem. What's also neat is that this leash is charged by the motion of the leash as it's pulled back and forth when you're walking with your dog. It uses a 'reciprocating bidirectional kinetic energy recycling' system to juice up its 1,800-mAh battery, so it's always ready to lock the leash when you're out and about.
The electronic leash has a few more tricks up its sleeve: it includes LEDs on the handle and a light module near the clip that attaches to your dog's collar to illuminate your path up to 11 ft (3.3 m) ahead.
You can also order it with a small sound-activated anti-barking gadget that clips on to your dog's collar and vibrates gently to grab their attention and interrupt their barking. I'm not sure if this will work for my dog or for any other, really, but I'd be keen to see if that actually worked without stressing them out further.
You can simply twist it 90 degrees to lock the leash, or hit a button on the handle. Plus, the leash extends out of a slot that's designed to prevent it from twisting up inside the device. The only thing it's missing is a poop bag dispenser that's common on many inexpensive retractable leashes.
The Hello.it leash extends up to 11.5 ft (3.5 m), and the Hong Kong-based company behind it says the polyester leash supports a maximum of 77 lb (35 kg).
Currently crowdfunding on Kickstarter, the basic SE model is expected to have a retail price of about US$129 but pledge levels start at $79 if you choose to back the campaign. The T1 model, which comes with the light module attached to the collar buckle and includes an expansion port for the anti-barking device, will set you back an extra $10. The anti-bark device can be had on its own for $20.
Crowdfunding campaigns always involve an element of risk, but assuming all goes to plan with this one, Hello.it estimates that shipping will start from June at no additional cost.
Find more details over on Kickstarter.
Source: Hello.it
