Is your cat stressed? Tokyo startup's smart collar finds out
A Japanese startup's device looks for signs of stress that cat owners may miss. © Reuters
TAKUMA NAGAMORI
TOKYO -- Detecting feline stress has long been a guessing game, but a Japanese startup offers a smart collar that alerts cat owners when their furry companions are under strain.
Rabo, a developer of health monitors for cats, on Tuesday added an artificial intelligence-driven feature to show pets' stress levels.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

3 hours ago
Some Japanese Parents Turn to AI for Childcare Support
The parenting support website Baby Calendar conducted a survey in late May on parenting and the use of AI. The survey targeted 564 men and women with children under the age of 18. Among those 564 respondents, 251 or 25.5% said that they 'frequently use' AI or AI-related apps, while another 41.0% said they 'sometimes use' them. The most common use was for 'consulting about parenting problems,' mentioned by 42.7% of the respondents. In particular, parents made use of AI when faced with issues that are difficult to discuss with others, such as discipline, child development, or handling the difficult toddler years. These are the sorts of problems that can be tough for a household to resolve on its own. Another popular use, mentioned by 37.6%, involved 'keeping records on childcare and managing daily routines.' Specific examples included using AI to predict when a child is likely to become cranky based on previous situations. In addition, 33.5% used AI for 'consulting about a child's health,' such as asking for advice on what to do when a child has a fever. These examples show that people often turn to AI when it comes to daily decisions. The top benefit of using AI as a parent, mentioned by 49.5% of the respondents, is the ability to obtain information quickly, but the survey also revealed that making use of AI can reduce stress. This was reflected in benefits chosen by respondents like not having to do everything alone, being able to rely on it at night or in spare moments, and being able to ask things that they couldn't ask other people about. Some commented on how AI provided emotional support, such as a respondent who said: 'AI encouraged me at times when I was feeling down.' (Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)


Kyodo News
7 hours ago
- Kyodo News
Japan work-related mental illness cases top 1,000, record for 6th yr
KYODO NEWS - 3 minutes ago - 20:17 | All, Japan The number of mental disorder cases recognized as work-related in Japan rose by 172 in fiscal 2024 to 1,055, marking a record high for the sixth straight year, the government said Wednesday, with harassment by superiors cited as the leading cause. Of the total, 88 cases involved suicides or suicide attempts in the fiscal year that ended in March, up nine from the previous year, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said. Physical and verbal harassment by superiors accounted for 224 cases of mental disorders, followed by significant changes in workload or job duties at 119. Abuse by customers, including physical and verbal violence against workers, was the third most common cause of mental disorders, with 108 cases reported and 78 involving women. Harassment by customers was added to the list of incidents eligible for workers' compensation due to mental stress starting in fiscal 2023. "There are a certain number of workers who are under strong stress due to human relationships within their workplaces and to changes in the environment," a ministry official said. By occupation, the highest number of workers' compensation cases for mental health issues was among those in social security and welfare, totaling 270 cases. By age, 283 cases involved people in their 40s, 245 in their 30s and 243 in their 20s. The number of applications filed for workers' compensation due to mental illness hit a record high of 3,780, up 205 from the previous year, according to the ministry. Related coverage: Japanese kids' mental health ranks poorly among rich nations: UNICEF Japan to mandate protective steps for firms against abusive customers


The Mainichi
8 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Japan waste facility fire likely caused by Li-ion battery, repairs to cost $27 million
MORIYA, Ibaraki -- A December 2024 fire at a waste processing plant here was likely caused by a lithium-ion battery improperly mixed into nonburnable garbage, and repairs will cost at least some 4 billion yen (about $27 million), officials said June 24. The incident occurred at the noncombustible waste processing facility at Joso environmental center in Moriya, Ibaraki Prefecture, which handles waste from the cities of Joso, Moriya, Tsukubamirai and Toride. Lithium-ion batteries, commonly used in mobile phones and other portable devices, are prone to catching fire when crushed, causing repeated waste-related fires across Japan. The December 2024 fire broke out as noncombustible garbage underwent sorting and crushing before being recycled, and spread to nearby trash. One worker suffered minor injuries in the incident. Due to extensive damage, the facility's processing equipment remains unusable. The four cities are currently transporting their noncombustible waste to Narita, Chiba Prefecture, and Mibu, Tochigi Prefecture, to outsource processing to private waste management companies. The Joso regional administrative association, which runs the waste center, presented three cost scenarios to the councils of the four participating cities: fully repairing the facility; temporary restoration with partial outsourcing; or full outsourcing with no repairs. Fully repairing the facility was the least expensive option, but even after receiving insurance payments, the cities' burden would still total some 4 billion yen. The fully restored facility is expected to resume operations at the end of August 2027, and external waste outsourcing will continue until then. The association noted that there were 12 fires caused by garbage at the Joso center during fiscal 2024, with all incidents involving dangerous materials such as lithium-ion batteries mixed in with waste. Moriya Mayor Nobuhisa Matsumaru expressed his disappointment, telling reporters, "Such enormous damage resulted from the careless actions of just a few people. Our only option is to keep urging residents to properly separate their garbage." (Japanese original by Yui Shuzo, Tsukuba Local Bureau)