This clever button lets service dogs turn on appliances by themselves

"For decades, people with disabilities have relied on service dogs to help them perform daily tasks like opening doors, turning on lights, or alerting caregivers to emergencies. By some estimates, there are 500,000 service dogs in the U.S., but little attention has been paid to the fact that these dogs have been trained to interact with interfaces that are made for humans."

"The Open University's Animal-Computer Interaction Laboratory in the UK was founded in 2011 to help promote the art and science of designing animal-centered systems. Led by Clara Mancini, a professor of animal-computer interaction, the lab studies how animals interact with technology and develops interactive systems designed to improve their wellbeing and support their relationships with humans. The team's first commercially"

"The Dogosophy Button took more than ten years to develop and was tested with about 20 dogs from UK charity Dogs for Good. It gives dogs more control over certain aspects of their home, which can make training them easier and further strengthen the bond between a human and their dog. It's also taught the team a few lessons about how to design for humans."

Service dogs perform daily tasks for people with disabilities, often using interfaces designed for humans. A UK research team focuses on creating accessible products for and with animals. The Open University's Animal-Computer Interaction Laboratory, founded in 2011 and led by Clara Mancini, studies animal-technology interactions and creates interactive systems to improve animal wellbeing and human-animal relationships. The lab developed the Dogosophy Button over more than ten years and tested it with about 20 dogs. The button lets dogs press to activate household appliances, increasing their control, easing training, and strengthening bonds. The product is currently available in the UK for about $130.

Read at Fast Company