The dream of getting a push notification from your dog is now a reality. Chamberlain Group (CGI), a global leader in access control solutions and developer of myQ smart technology, set their sights on Fido and the result is unparalleled: A connected pet portal seamlessly integrated into posh Kolbe custom doors. Featuring interior and exterior cameras, 2-way audio, bluetooth tech, and a customizable app, the myQ Pet Portal won the CES 2021 Best of Innovation Award in the smart home category. And for good reason.
“It was quite the technical challenge to get the mechanism and the safety devices to work inside a 1.75-inch thick door,” says David Schuda, Lead Project Director for myQ Pet Portal. What’s more, a small team of engineers made the whole thing virtually undetectable to the naked eye, ensuring that visitors, passersby and pesky squirrels won’t realize it’s there while giving Pup Tart a most aesthetically pleasing path to autonomy. Here’s how it works.
Say Mary Puppins wants out, but you’re not around. She can go up to the door to trigger one of the 1080p cameras with her bluetooth collar sensor and send you a customizable push notification that she’s at the door. (Who’s doing the happy dance now?) When you click on it, you’ll jump to the myQ Pet Portal app where you can watch her little snout, talk to her, and grant her wish with a tap. If your meetings are boring or the checkout line is long, you can livestream playtime until she wants in. This is how it operates in ‘by request’ mode.
Or you can set the door to automatically open at Chewbarka’s demand. The app will log each entry and exit, so you can get a good sense of your dog’s patterns while you’re away. The system will always stay au courant, as myQ can push updates to both the app and the door itself, which is powered through the hinge and plugs into any outlet. Your white-glove installer can route the wire behind wall trim, no electrician required.
Like elevator doors, the Pet Portal’s panels open horizontally, and they feature a sensitive top-to-bottom non-contact sensor so you don’t have to worry about tail pinching. CGI tested the system with different dog breeds throughout the development process, from tiny legged Dachshunds, to hefty Alaskan Malamutes. The low eight-inch clearance, and just under 11x19 inch opening are perfect for all doggos from 10 to 90 pounds. And unlike pretty much every other K9 door on the market, this one’s weather-proofed to the same standards as the door itself.
Beril Altiner, Lead Product Development Marketing Director for myQ Pet Portal says the technology is clearly tremendous. And so is the stress-relief for pup parents who can’t always be home, especially as COVID-19 restrictions begin to lift, dramatically changing some puppers’ routines. But “the best part is watching dogs go wild with their newfound freedom."
Got a good, good boy who deserves this door? Or a stylish owner who’d never compromise their home’s aesthetic for their best friend’s freedom to potty and play? The myQ Pet Portal will be rolling out in a limited quantity, so go to myQpetportal.com now to place your pre-order for delivery in Spring 2021. The professionally installed myQ Pet Portal starts at $2,999, and if you already have the myQ app, you can sign up for the Pet by myQ app under your existing account. Pawsome.
This story was produced by WIRED Brand Lab for myQ.
