Disco Dog turns pups into walking strobe lights [Sticky or Not]

For anyone whose love of dogs is only matched by a good old fashioned rave, I present: Disco Dog.

Disco Dog is a smartphone-controlled LED dog vest that’s primarily designed to keep pups visible and safe when it’s dark out, but doubles as a perfect tool for livening the mood at a lacklustre soiree.

The vest is dotted by RGB LEDs that can be set to show specific colours, patterns and fading effects. These effects are not only aesthetic but can also be practical.

You could, for instance, program the vest to flash your dog’s name, or, if your dog runs too far away and the connection is lost, the vest will automatically show a “LOST DOG” message, asking bystanders for help.

All of this is controlled via the Disco Dog mobile app, available on iOS and Android.

Disco Dog was successfully backed on Kickstarter in early 2015 and shipped in August, 2016. The retail version is now under development, so pricing for the final product is unclear — but according to the original Kickstarter, the limited-edition first run of LED vests cost $300 USD for small dogs, $350 USD for medium-size dogs and $400 USD for large dogs. A custom-made version cost $2500 USD.

Verdict: Not sticky.

The ‘Lost Dog’ message idea makes a lot of sense, and the visual effects are kitschy-cool, but the initial pricing puts this vest out of the realm of consideration for me. However, there’s almost no limit to what proud pup parents will do for their fur children (especially when it comes to humiliating outfits) so, I’m sure there will be an audience for Disco Dog if and when it comes to market.

And, hey, before you go: here’s another GIF of that adorable wiener dog:

Note: This post is part of an ongoing series titled Sticky or Not in which Telecom and News Editor Rose Behar analyzes new and often bizarre gadgets, rating them sticky (good) or not (bad).