If you have a pet, you know that it can be difficult to understand what they want. Their vocal capabilities are limited and tend to just be whines and similar-sounding noises. But, as all pet owners know, these animals are still very smart. They understand what we are saying and are aware of different wants and needs. So, why can't we find a reliable way of communicating with our pets? FluentPet has a solution to this problem using small buttons and recorded voices.

It's been a long journey, but we're finally here. FluentPet Connect is the next generation of pet communications, and it represents a huge leap forward in our quest to connect with animals in a deeper way. With FluentPet Connect, you can capture every push of a button and send high-fidelity audio directly to your pet's Base HexTile speaker. This allows you to customize your interactions with them however you like!

The compact design also means you can fit more buttons into a smaller space, and the sturdy construction discourages biting, as opposed to the foam used to construct the previous version. There are six installable sound buttons to choose from and it is your choice of what you would like each button to do. The possibilities do not end there.

The FluentPet Connect app uses a technology called Augmented Audio to send your voice commands directly to the Base HexTile. This allows you to keep your pet's attention focused on you while you're interacting with them, and it also means that you can use any words or sounds you like! There are six buttons provided per tile, and the newer design adds threading to the buttons to decrease the chance of them being removed by your pet so easily.

Wi-Fi capability has been added as well, and there are expansion devices that can be purchased in bundles. The expansion tiles would connect to the Base HexTile via Bluetooth, to avoid having endless numbers of devices connected to your home Wi-Fi connection. This is a simple and smart solution to be able to add more tiles, which would add any number of customizable buttons at your pet's disposal.

The original FluentPet is available now with starter kits priced at $29.95. The FluentPet Connect and Expansion HexTiles are aiming for a release date between Spring and Summer of this year. The Base HexTile is available for purchase on their website for $79.95 and the Expansion Tiles will retail for $49.95. There is also a pack of 3 Expansion HexTiles available for $119.95.

The FluentPet Connect app is a free download on the App Store and Google Play, and it is compatible with iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Android devices. As of right now, pre-orders are available through their website. To learn more about the original FluentPet, the FluentPet Connect, or to pre-order one for yourself, head over to the company's website.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

Scott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.

Allante - also well known as Wolff - is the newest member and co-host for PLuGHiTz Live! Radio. A gifted artist, he is usually found drawing up a character or two or sketching up whatever comes to mind. Do not think that he is not a hardcore gamer because he is about as hardcore as it gets! His favorites range from fighting games to RPGs, adventure and even a racing game here and there. Fighting games are his forte and he relays this message for all who oppose: You mess with the Wolff and you get the fangs!

Xbox Live - Enigmatic Wolff

PSN - Tsukuyomi_Okami