South Korea tests nose print ID for pets
South Korea is testing a nose print ID for the national pet registration system. The innovative technology is intended to replace chip implants.
A South Korean company has developed a biometric recognition system that can identify dogs based on their nose print.
Once pet owners have registered their dog’s nose pattern and general information in an app called «Anipuppy», the information can be easily retrieved by scanning the dog’s nose print.
«It is a biometric 3D algorithm based on artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning, which we have now integrated into smartphones so that you can take photos of nose patterns and use them to identify each animal», said Sujin Choi, Director of iSciLab Corporation.
With the new technology, which the company claims has an accuracy of 99.9 percent, people who find stray dogs can quickly and directly communicate with their owners.
Making dog registration easier
Currently, it is mandatory in South Korea to register pets with a microchip or an external tag. However, since the introduction of the pet registration system in 2007, the number of registrations has not increased.
According to a 2020 report by the South Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, only 38 percent of the 6 million pets were registered.
Animal welfare experts say that pet owners are hesitant because they are concerned about the cumbersome process and potential health issues associated with microchip implantation.
This is where the nose ID solution comes in handy – it is non-invasive and much faster to administer than inserting a chip.
iSciLab has been working with the South Korean government since 2019 to develop and test its nose ID technology for commercialisation.
The project is expected to be completed by 2024 so that it can be incorporated as an official method for identifying and registering dogs into the country's database.
The company estimates a price of approximately 14 euros per dog.
According to the company, the technology could in the future also be used to identify other animals such as cats, cows, and deer.
iSciLab's biometric recognition technology is currently patented in South Korea, as well as in the United States, Europe, Canada, and Japan.
