Hello again! We are down to the wire with the timing to finish the semester strong! Dante has not been as vocal lately, so it has been a challenge to capture new vocalizations for the testing of the teachable machine. I'm hoping with the little cool-down we are supposed to have this weekend I can have the doors open and hopefully get more sounds for the research project. I guess the good part is he must be feeling more settled in our new home, like my daughter and myself :) I feel like I need more hours in the day to complete all my responsibilities sometimes! I hope you all find the time and space to study and focus in these last few weeks! Take care!

Here's a pic of Dante waiting for me to finish schoolwork..... I think we feel about the same!  lol

 Hi everyone! Dante and I have had a very productive week creating and collecting audio sounds and files for testing and training the teachable machine! I hope my new neighbors are not too bothered by my research. I am grateful a few of my classes are starting to decrease the number of assignments due, allowing me a little more time to focus on my research project. A really cool side-effect of my research is that I have become keenly aware of Dante's needs and why and when he vocalizes. He is very routine... just like me:) I read the other day that dogs take on the personalities of their owners due to learned behaviors. Dante tends to get very playful in the evening, I speculate it is because my 2 sons visit often for dinner.  He must feel my excitement and joy when they are there, so he has learned to expect it each night,
whether they visit or not.

 

Hello everyone! This week has been much more manageable than the previous week! I am thankful for that for sure! I have been able to gather all the audio files for my research and upload them to the teachable machine. I encountered a few issues in understanding the technology, but with the assistance of Josh, I was able to better understand how to operate the program. I was able to get a majority of my rough draft completed however, I have some additional steps in my research to be able to complete a few of the sections. I am looking forward to completing the research and analyzing the results! I believe, if developed further, this technology can assist so many people in many different ways!

 When it rains - it pours!

That's my theme for this week. However, we must remember that new life develops from these waters - both literally and figuratively. Dante was able to explore the snails in the yard after the rains, and he was quite intrigued. On a more serious note, someone very near to me is experiencing a severe mental health episode and I share this to bring awareness to the topic. This has been a 20+ year struggle and it comes with its ups and downs. As difficult as it is for loved ones to watch a family member go through a scary time, I can't imagine what it is like for the person suffering. Yesterday was nearly tragic for this individual when they crashed on the highway, driving approximately 70 mph, and ran into the back of a semi-truck that was stopped. Fortunately, minus a few bruises and scrapes on the driver, no one was injured. They looked away for a moment to use Apple Car Play to make a call, and that's all the time it took. Hug those close to you and reach out to those you haven't spoken to who once held a dear place in your lives. Life is short and precious, and no one knows when our time will come to an end or what others are dealing with. Take care of yourselves and remember to reach out for help - more people care than you think and there are resources available if you or someone you know needs help.

Arizona Behavioral Health Services Crisis Hotlines | Department of Veterans' Services (az.gov)

 This has been a challenging week for me. I caught a little cold over spring break, and it took almost the entire week to feel better. Dante has been more vocal also; he wants to play all the time. Maybe he could sense I wasn't feeling well. He seems to be a little more protective at this new home too. I bought him some new toys and a giant fuzzy ball he loves! Hoping he stays entertained while I grind away at all these courses. He and I both will be ready for the end of the semester for sure! 

On a personal note, my parents are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary next week, so we are planning a big party to honor their commitment to each other! Should be a great time reconnecting with old friends and family we haven't seen in a while!

 Back for the second half of the semester and I have to say, although I was catching up on schoolwork and unpacking the rest of my boxes, I was able to enjoy a little bit of rest and a short trip with my daughter for her final high school spring break! While we were away, Dante was able to get cuddles from my 19-year-old son who recently moved into his own place, so he was a super happy pup! We moved from a fairly chaotic environment to a very quiet and peaceful home, and with that, I have noticed a change in Dante. I would like to think he has found the peace my daughter and I am, but part of me questions if he is bored or having a difficult time adjusting. He seems to sleep a lot more, and require more treats...  Not sure, but I will continue to love on him and spend as many hours a day playing with him as possible. We may just all be in the recovery phase of the last chapter... Can't wait for the next beautiful time in life! Oh, and I bought Dante the cutest Lion Mane!

                    With the emergence of AI and machine learning come many questions for gaining a better understanding of the world we live in. Humans have lived with canines for centuries and some researchers believe they were domesticated in “Siberia 26,000 – 19,700 years ago by Ancient North Eurasians.” (“Domestication of the Dog,” 2024) Due to the long-standing intimate bonds humans have developed with canines, communication with the species is a fascinating field of study. By better understanding how and why canines communicate, humans can harness the species for scientific benefits, for example, service animals to help people with emotional or communication disorders.

                         Currently, there are differing opinions as to canine vocalizations and whether there is intelligence behind the sounds, or simply a response to stimuli. Most researchers do agree there is a uniqueness to canine vocalizations, but the debate of intent still exists. Because machine learning is an emerging technology, research in this area is limited, but there have been some studies focusing on breed variations, wolves vs domesticated canines, emotion, and intelligence behind the vocalizations.

                         It is important to expand on this research because of the implications concerning daily interactions as well as medical interventions with canines. Canines are a large part of society and understanding and interacting with them can bring incredible benefits as well as enhanced safety around the species. For example, if vocalizations were understood, humans would be able to better recognize warning signs from aggressive canines, preventing bites or attacks. Another example would be in the case of a person with a communication or emotional disorder being able to employ a service animal to alert to a medical condition they have. By better understanding canine vocalizations, combined with machine learning technology, a device would be able to interpret the canine vocalization back to the person, allowing them to better understand their service animal and potentially save lives. This research is also important for canines. Suppose the owner of a canine is away, and a dog-sitter is unfamiliar with the canine. With the use of a device trained to the specific canine, the care would be greatly increased for the canine.

               Is it possible for a teachable machine to interpret the reason Canis lupus familiari is vocalizing based on a variety of audio files? It is believed that a teachable machine will be able to determine and output the reason for Canis lupus familiari vocalization and provide a percentage indicating the confidence level of the model with its prediction. It may be discovered during the research, that the teachable machine can recognize additional variations in vocalizations for the same events and environments. There is a chance the teachable machine cannot differentiate the sounds depending on the environment or the event.