(CNN) - Researchers at Georgia Tech are teaching dogs to "talk" with technology.
From high-tech wearable vests for dogs to a dog-friendly touchscreen that works like a telephone, the devices could be very useful to humans during a medical emergency.
Dogs could be trained to activate a device if their owner falls or the dogs hear a verbal cue telling them to get help, said Melody M. Jackson, an associate professor and director of the animal-computer interaction lab at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
"The dog could go over to a touchscreen and touch a series of icons on the touchscreen and call 911 with your location," she said. "We think that, literally, this could change lives, make lives so much better, and be a life-saver."
Jackson, an animal trainer, said both companion pets and service dogs could easily be trained to use technology to communicate when their handlers need help.
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