A new entrant in the pet tech market, OnlyCat, is pitching what it calls "the world’s smartest cat flap," powered by artificial intelligence. Unlike traditional microchip-activated flaps, OnlyCat adds a layer of computer vision specifically trained to detect when a cat is attempting to enter with prey, such as birds or rodents, and temporarily locks the flap to prevent entry. This core feature targets a common frustration for cat owners, promising automated intervention for a behavior difficult to train out of felines.

Technical Deep Dive: More Than Just a Lock

  • AI Vision at the Edge: The system's key innovation is its use of on-device AI processing to analyze visual data in real-time. This implies embedded machine learning models running locally to identify prey objects held in a cat's mouth as it approaches the flap. The claim of working "in the blink of an eye" suggests optimizations for low latency, crucial for preventing entry before it happens.
  • Dual Microchip Authentication: Building on technology from SureFlap (known for reliable RFID pet doors), OnlyCat reads a cat's implanted microchip both on entry and exit. This allows for granular "Door Policies" set via a companion app – restricting specific cats to certain times (e.g., keeping them indoors overnight) or blocking unrecognized animals.
  • Offline Resilience & Connectivity: The device connects to home Wi-Fi and a mobile app for remote monitoring, video capture, and policy management. Critically, OnlyCat states core functionality (presumably microchip reading and the AI prey lock) continues working during internet outages, indicating essential processing happens locally on the device.
  • User Interface & Design: Features include an e-paper display showing cat status, LED tunnel lighting, and video recording capabilities triggered by movement, storing clips accessible via the app.

Implications for Developers and the Pet Tech Ecosystem

OnlyCat exemplifies the increasing integration of advanced AI, particularly computer vision, into everyday consumer devices:

  1. Edge AI Maturation: The product demonstrates the practical application of running non-trivial vision models directly on constrained hardware (a cat flap), handling real-time inference without constant cloud dependency. This reflects significant progress in model optimization and edge compute capabilities.
  2. Data Privacy & Ethics: Continuous visual monitoring at a home entry point raises questions. While marketed for cute pet videos and security, the potential for capturing unintended footage (people, other animals, passers-by) necessitates clear data handling and privacy policies – an area developers in smart home tech must prioritize.
  3. Defining "Smart" Pet Products: Beyond basic connectivity, OnlyCat uses AI to address a specific, complex behavioral issue. This raises the bar, pushing the pet tech industry towards solutions offering genuine, context-aware automation rather than simple remote control or activity logging.
  4. Reliability Challenges: The effectiveness of the prey detection AI in diverse lighting conditions, with different prey types, and minimizing false positives (locking out a cat carrying a toy) will be critical to user satisfaction and speaks to the challenges of real-world AI deployment.

OnlyCat represents a significant step in applying sophisticated on-device AI to solve niche but impactful problems. Its success hinges not just on the allure of the technology, but on the robustness of its vision algorithms and the transparency surrounding its data practices. As similar edge AI applications proliferate, they offer valuable case studies for developers working on embedded systems and responsible AI implementation.

Source: OnlyCat Product Website (https://www.onlycat.com/)