METHOD FOR ASSESSING THE RELIABILITY OF A DOG-MAN PAIR AND

KIT FOR IMPLEMENTING SAID METHOD.

DESCRIPTION

The present invention concerns a method for assessing the reliability of a dog- man pair, preferably a technical dog-man pair.

The present invention also concerns data processing software capable of carrying out some or all of the steps of said method of the invention.

Finally, the invention also concerns a kit for implementing said method of the invention.

It is known that the term "dog-man pair" indicates the pair constituted by a dog and its human leader. It is important to underline, therefore, that also in this context the above mentioned term is referred to the dog-leader pair in its most general meaning.

This category, therefore, includes also the dog-leader pair in which, for example, the leader is a hunter and the dog is a retriever.

Instead, to indicate dog-man pairs suited to perform a particular task, for example the pairs belonging to the police or the army, as well as the dog-leader pairs belonging to first aid units like those used in civil protection, the term used is "technical dog-man pair".

It should be noted that the term "technical dog-man pair" will be used herein with the last meaning just explained above.

It is known that in each individual dog-man pair the leader gives commands to the dog so that the latter can perform the special task for which it has been trained in the best possible way.

The task usually performed by the dog consists in looking for living beings or objects, for which the dog exploits it well-developed, exceptional sense of smell.

Search operations, as already mentioned, can be carried out in various sectors, from the most important ones, for example when it comes to searching for missing persons and/or persons in danger, to the ones most related to leisure, for example when it comes to searching for a prey hunted by the leader/hunter or to searching for mushrooms or truffles.

It is also known that before the dog gets used to listening to and obeying the leader's orders and learns how to perform its tasks, the dog-man pair needs long and demanding training. In particular, in the case of technical dog-man pairs trained to search for living beings, preferably human beings, the dog and the leader must be capable of exploring a predefined search area thoroughly and perfectly, with no risk of leaving one or more zones within said area unexplored.

Therefore, in order to assess the reliability of a dog-man pair or technical dog-man pair, test days are periodically organized, during which one or more guinea pigs is/are placed in a predefined search area and each dog-man pair must perform its search in turn.

The persons in charge with the test must then assess, among other things, whether the dog-man pair has properly explored the entire predefined search area and the dog has kept a suitable distance from the leader during the search.

Up to date it is known that the persons who have to assess the reliability of a dog-man pair have few objective parameters at their disposal to make their assessment.

In fact, the persons in charge with the test usually find a strategic position with respect to the predefined search area and from there they observe the movements of the dog-man pair and in particular the movements of the dog with respect to its leader.

It is clear, therefore, that the assessment considerably depends on the experience of the person who observes the work of the dog-man pair.

Furthermore, in many cases the person performing the assessment expresses different opinions, which in some cases are even conflicting, regarding the same dog-man pair.

The assessment inevitably gives varying results, since the person who has to assess the work of the dog-man pair expresses his/her opinion based on subjective sensations, which may be different at different moments.

Thus, disadvantageously, in general the assessment is not based on objective data and therefore it tends to change in a manner that sometimes is incomprehensible even to experts in the field.

From another point of view, it is also known that the reliability of a dog-man pair or technical dog-man pair very often is not consistent over time.

Said lack of consistency may be due to intrinsic characteristics of the dog-man pair, for example the dog can be more or less tired, and may also be affected by external situations, for example by the weather, the conditions of the ground, etc.

Disadvantageously, therefore, it is also for these reasons that the assessment of the reliability of a dog-man pair can be imprecise and sometimes even completely wrong.

Since said assessments are successively used to define the activities necessary to improve the reliability of the dog-man pair, a wrong assessment can disadvantageously lead to the definition of unsuitable activities that will not bring any improvement and in some cases may even worsen the reliability of the dog-man pair.

The present invention aims to overcome the drawbacks listed above.

In particular, the invention has the purpose of providing a method for assessing the reliability of a dog-man pair that is base on objective measurements and data.

It is thus the object of the present invention to propose a method that makes it possible to obtain an objective and consistent assessment of the reliability of a dog-man pair, given the same performance of the dog-man pair/technical dog- man pair.

Consequently, it is the object of the present invention to provide a method that makes it possible to plan one or more activities for the dog-man pair, which allow the latter to actually improve its reliability in a shorter time than is presently needed when the assessment methods of the known art are used. The objects described above are achieved by the method for assessing the reliability of a dog-man pair having the characteristics illustrated in the main claim.

These objects are also achieved by the data processing software and the kit for the implementation of the above mentioned method of the invention.

Further characteristics of the method that is the subject of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

Advantageously, the method of the invention, according to which several data of a different nature are compared, all said data being measured objectively during the searching operations of a dog-man pair, ensures a deeper understanding of the causes of a given behaviour of the same dog-man pair. In this way it is possible to advantageously speed up the progress of the dog-man pair.

Still advantageously, this method makes it possible to objectively compare the degree of reliability of different dog-man pairs/technical dog-man pairs.

The objects and advantages described above will be highlighted in greater detail in the description of a preferred embodiment of the invention that is provided as an indicative, non-limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein:

- Figure 1 shows the graph regarding the instant distances between dog and leader for each instant of time during the search and the value of the average distance for the entire duration of the above mentioned search;

- Figure 2 shows the graph regarding the dog's instant speed values for each instant of time when the speed has been measured during the search and the value of the average speed of the dog for the entire duration of the search;

- Figure 3 is a graphic representation of the superimposition of the layouts of the dog and leader's routes within the work area;

- Figure 4 shows the graph regarding the altitude curve of the dog's route within the work area during the search;

- Figure 5 shows the layout of the dog's route within the work area with the projection of the covered area based on the characteristics of a scent cone;

- Figure 6 schematically shows the graphic of the scent cone;

- Figure 7 shows the kit of the invention for assessing the reliability of a dog-man pair when worn by a dog-man pair.

The method of the invention is suited to assess the reliability of a dog-man pair, preferably a technical dog-man pair, consisting of a dog and a human leader.

In order to implement the above mentioned method of the invention, both the dog and the leader of the dog-main pair/technical dog-man pair are equipped with a positioning device for measuring and storing data of the GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) type.

Preferably but not necessarily, said positioning devices are GPS (Global Positioning System) devices.

However, in alternative embodiments of the method of the invention said positioning devices may be of a different type.

According to the invention, the above mentioned method includes a first step consisting in the definition of a work area 11 within which the dog-man pair must work, shown in Figure 3. In particular, according to the preferred embodiment of the method, the perimeter 10 of said work area 11 is drawn on a virtual map by means of a data processing device in which a data processing application of the GIS (Geographic(al) Information System) type is applied, for example Google Earth ®.

However, it cannot be excluded that in an alternative embodiment of the invention said definition step may be carried out by drawing the perimeter 10 of said area 11 using a paper map, the layout of the perimeter being transferred to the data processing device only at the end of the search activity of the dog-man pair.

According to the preferred embodiment of the method of the invention, a guinea pig 18 is successively positioned within the predefined work area 10 and the dog-man pair has to find it out.

It cannot be excluded, however, that in different embodiments of the invention the number of the guinea pigs may exceed one.

Preferably but not necessarily, said guinea pig 18 is a human being that is positioned at a specific point within said area 11 waiting to be found by the dog-man pair in question.

It cannot be excluded that in further embodiments of the method of the invention said guinea pig 18 may be an object or an animal.

According to the method of the invention, once the definition of the work area

11 and the arrangement of the guinea pig/s 18 have been completed, the search activity of the dog-man pair to find said guinea pig 18 starts.

In particular, according to the method of the invention, during said search activity the GNSS data of the dog and the leader are measured and stored at the same time instants and according to predefined time intervals, using the already mentioned GNSS positioning devices.

In particular, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the GNSS data are the latitude, longitude and altitude values measured at each one of said time instants and concerning both the dog and its leader.

It cannot be excluded that in different embodiments of the method of the invention the values measured and stored are only latitude and longitude, while the altitude is measured at a later stage during the search, inputting and processing said measured values in a data processing application of the GIS type. Regarding the time interval between one measurement and the successive one, it is preferably but not necessarily of one second. It cannot be excluded, however, that in different embodiments of the method of the invention said time interval lasts more or less than one second.

Obviously, the shorter the time between one measurement and the other, the higher the precision of the measurement and storage of the dog's and the leader's positions during the search.

In a particular embodiment of the method of the invention also the guinea pig 18 may be equipped with a positioning device, so that it would be possible to record the layout of the route covered by the same guinea pig 18 in order to reach the predefined point within the work area 11. The usefulness of said further measurement will be explained below.

According to the preferred embodiment of the method of the invention, furthermore, the values of temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure within the work area 11 in which the search is performed are measured and stored.

Said values are preferably but not necessarily measured at the level of the geographic coordinates of the dog and the leader, at the same instants when the above mentioned GNSS data are measured.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, said measurement of the temperature, humidity and pressure may be made only at the level of the geographical coordinates of the dog.

In further embodiments of the method of the invention the measurement and storage of the temperature, humidity and pressure values may be carried out at the level of sample points within the work area before, during and/or after the search step performed by the dog-man pair.

Furthermore, in different embodiments of the method of the invention only one among the temperature, humidity and pressure values may be measured, or alternatively various combinations of the same may be measured.

Finally, in alternative embodiments of the method of the invention none of the above mentioned values may be measured and stored.

The preferred embodiment of the invention, furthermore, comprises an operation of measurement and storage of the wind direction and speed at the geographical point where said guinea pig 18 is located.

It cannot be excluded, however, that in different embodiments of the method of the invention the wind direction and speed at other geographical points within the work area 11 may be measured and stored, for example the points where the dog passes.

In alternative embodiments of the method of the invention, furthermore, said measurement and said storage of the wind direction and speed values may also be omitted.

Again, according to the method of the invention it is also possible to measure and store data regarding the weather conditions and the type and conditions of the ground on which the search is performed by the dog-man pair.

Even in this case, in different embodiments of the method of the invention said last measurement and storage steps may be omitted.

According to the method of the invention, once all or part of the measurements described above have been completed, in particular those concerning the GNSS data of the dog and its leader, these data are transferred to a processing device to be successively processed and interpreted.

Preferably but not necessarily, said transfer is carried out at the end of the search step performed by the dog-man pair.

However, it cannot be excluded that said transfer step may be carried out during the search step according to predefined time intervals, for example when the dog-man pair reaches intermediate positions within the work area 11. Furthermore, according to the preferred embodiment of the method of the invention, while said transfer step is performed the characteristic data of the guinea pig 18, such as its age, ethnic group and/or sex, are also input in the processing device.

The importance of these characteristics for the performance of the method of the invention will be explained below.

At this point, in the successive step of the method of the invention said GNSS data concerning the dog and its leader are compared and transferred to the data processing device.

In particular, said comparison is performed by processing the latitude and longitude data of the dog and its leader so as to define a graph 1 of the instant distance 2 between the dog and its leader for each one of the measurements previously made.

Furthermore, said processing makes it possible to define the average distance 3 between the dog and its leader for the whole duration of the search. An example of said graph 1 of the instant distances 2 and the average distance 3 is shown in Figure 1.

In the same way, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention in this comparison step the latitude and longitude data concerning the dog are processed to define a graph 4 of the instant speeds 5 of the dog for each one of the measurements made during the search.

Furthermore said graph 4, as can be seen in Figure 2, shows the value of the average speed 6 of the dog for the whole duration of the search.

Furthermore, according to the invention, preferably but not necessarily said comparison step includes the definition and graphic superimposition of the layouts 7 and 8 of the routes defined by the longitude and latitude values concerning the dog and its leader, as can be seen in the example of Figure 3. In addition to the above, in the graph 9 the previously defined perimeter 10 of the work area 11 is superimposed to the already superimposed layouts 7 and 8, in such a way as to verify, during the successive interpreting step, which is described in greater detail below, the degree of coverage of said work area 11 by the dog-man pair.

Again, the preferred embodiment of the method of the invention includes the definition of the graph 12 of the altitude curve 13 corresponding to the route of the dog during the search, an example of which is shown in Figure 4.

In particular, in the preferred embodiment of the invention described herein said graph 12 is obtained from the altitude values measured directly during the search step, as previously stated.

However, in a different embodiment of the invention, said graph 12 of the altitude curve 13 of the dog may be obtained by using the latitude and longitude values obtained from the direct measurements made on the dog during the search and successively input and processed by means of a data processing application of the GIS type, for example Google Earth ®.

Furthermore, in alternative embodiments of the method of the invention, the calculation and/or definition of the graph 12 of the altitude curve may be omitted.

The last step of the method of the invention is constituted by the interpretation of all or part of the measured data, which have been stored and transferred to the above mentioned data processing device, and of the above mentioned graphs, so as to plan the activities necessary to improve the performance of the dog-man pair, which the latter must carry out in order to better its reliability. In particular, using the graph 9 regarding the superimposition of the

layouts 7 and 8 of the routes of the dog and the leader within the perimeter 10 of the work area 11 of Figure 3, together with the graph 1 regarding the instant distances 2 and the average distance 3 between the dog and the leader of Figure 1 , it is possible to understand whether the dog has performed its search in an appropriate manner, covering in the best possible way all the above mentioned work area 11 , in relation to the position of its leader at the various time instants when the measurements were made.

In fact, it is possible to understand if the dog was too distant from, at a suitable distance from or too near its leader at each individual measurement instant and during the entire search.

Said assessment can be more reliable if, as mentioned above, also the layout of the route of the guinea pig 18 has been recorded. In fact, knowing the layout of the route of the guinea pig 18, it is possible to assess if the dog has behaved correctly within the work area 11 , that is, if it has followed its leader and the smell of the guinea pig 18 diffused in the air, or if it has worked incorrectly, smelling the ground and consequently following the smell left by the guinea pig 18 along its route.

In this last case, once the data have been interpreted, it is possible to plan the activities necessary to improve the operating efficiency of the dog-man pair which are most suitable for eliminating the error described above.

Furthermore, said assessment, obtained with the method of the invention, is even more precise and reliable, as in the preferred embodiment of the invention the data of the instant distance 2 is interpreted taking in consideration also the scent cone 14 that develops within the work area 11 and the specific measurement instants.

In fact, with said scent cone 14, a representation of which is shown in Figure 5, it is possible to understand the actual ability of a specific smell to diffuse in the surrounding space.

It is known, in fact, that the ability of a dog to detect a smell in a specific area directly depends on the above mentioned scent cone.

Therefore, the measurement of the wind direction and speed as described above makes it possible to define the direction 15 and height 16 of said scent cone 14, as shown in Figure 5, which in turn are used to assess the correct coverage of the work area 11 by the dog.

In particular, according to the preferred embodiment of the method of the invention, said data of the scent cone 14 are taken in consideration to project on the dog's route, in the direction opposite the direction 15 of the above mentioned scent cone 14, an area 17 whose width is equal to the height 16 of the same scent cone 14, as shown in Figure 6.

Said projection area 17 most probably corresponds to the area covered by the dog, even if not actually visited by the same.

Again, according to the preferred embodiment of the method of the invention, also the value of the atmospheric pressure makes it possible to assess more precisely the good or bad coverage of the work area 11 by the dog.

In fact, high pressure thrusts the smells downwards, so in this case the dog should get nearer the guinea pig in order to be able to perceive its presence.

On the contrary, if the pressure is low the smell raises from the ground and thus the dog can perceive the smell of the guinea pig from a greater distance than in the case of high pressure.

Furthermore, as is known, the intensity and type of the smell sent out by the guinea pig 18, and therefore the dog's ability to perceive it, depend on the nature of the guinea pig 18.

In particular, the smell of the guinea pig 18 depends on its sex, ethnic group etc.

Therefore, the knowledge and storage also of said data concerning the guinea pig 18 using the method of the invention make it possible to interpret in a still more precise and correct manner the graph 1 of the instant distances 2 and average distance 3 between the dog and the leader of Figure 1 , as well as the graph 9 of the layouts 7 and 8 of the dog and the same leader within the work area 11 of Figure 3.

With the graph of Figure 3 it is also possible to understand whether the route 8 chosen by the leader within the work area 11 is as appropriate as possible to allow the dog to cover said area 11 in an optimal way.

Concerning the graph 4 of the instant speeds 5 and average speed 6 of the dog of Figure 2, it makes it possible to understand the degree of tiredness of the dog itself.

Said graph 4, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, must be interpreted together with the graph 12 of the altitude curve of Figure 4. In fact, taking in consideration only said graph 4 of Figure 2, the low speed points may all be wrongly interpreted as moments of tiredness of the dog.

However, the lower speed of the dog depends on its tiredness but also on the varying altitude of the ground covered by the dog.

For example, in the case where the dog is slowing down on a plain, which is easy to understand through the compared reading of the graph 4 of the instant speeds 5 of Figure 2 and of the graph 12 of the altitude curve 13 of Figure 4, it is highly probable that the dog is tired.

On the other hand, in the case where a slowdown of the dog is recorded but the altitude value increases, this behaviour of the dog must be interpreted as normal, as the dog is walking uphill.

The interpretation of the graph 4 of the speed is made even more correct also thanks to the data on the type of ground and the conditions of the same.

In fact, for example, in the case where in the graph 4 of the instant speeds 5 there is an instant where the speed of the dog decreases, this must not be interpreted as a sign of tiredness if in that moment the dog passes from a bleak area to a woodland area.

On the contrary, if the dog slows down and the ground remains the same, this lower speed must be interpreted as an anomaly.

The same applies if there is a change in the conditions of the ground, for example from dry to wet or vice versa.

Therefore, according to the preferred embodiment of the method of the invention said interpretation step, which takes in consideration all the above mentioned data, makes it possible to understand the actual reasons for a change in the speed of the dog.

Furthermore, the variation in the dog's performance, in particular the variation in its speed, depends also on the temperature and humidity of the work area 11.

Therefore, in the case where for the same dog-man pair, tested in different days under different temperature and humidity conditions, different performance levels are found, said inconsistent performance of the dog-man pair must not necessarily be considered an anomaly or a sign of the intrinsic unreliability of the pair, as said performance may have been affected by different weather conditions.

In different embodiments of the method of the invention, said graphs 1 and 4 of the instant distances 2 of Figure 1 , of the average speed 6 and instant speeds 5 of Figure 2 and the graph 9 of the superimposed layouts 7 and 8 of Figure 3 may be interpreted without taking in consideration one or more of the data described above.

Obviously, said embodiments give less precise and less objective assessments than the preferred embodiment of the method of the invention. Advantageously, the assessment obtained with the method of the invention makes it possible to identify the best and most suitable exercises to improve the performance of the tested dog-man pair, in a shorter time compared to the results obtained up to now with the assessment techniques of the known art. Regarding the steps of the method of the invention of processing and interpreting the measured data and planning the activities necessary to improve the reliability of the dog-man pair, these are carried out by a code portion belonging to data processing software, when said software is run in said data processing device.

For this reason the above mentioned data processing software is part of the invention.

Furthermore, as already explained above, in order to be able to implement the method of the invention described in detail above, it is necessary to use a kit suited to assess the reliability of a dog-man pair, which is also part of the invention.

In particular, said kit 100 of the invention comprises at least two positioning devices 101 and 102 for measuring and storing GNSS data, one of which is suited to be applied to the dog C belonging to the above mentioned dog-man pair while the second device must be worn by the human leader U.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, as can be observed in Figure 7, the positioning device 101 that must be applied to the dog C is constituted by a bib 103 that does not interfere with the freedom of movement of the same dog C.

Preferably but not necessarily, said bib 103, in addition to providing for measuring the dog's GNSS data, also comprises devices for measuring the temperature 104, devices for measuring the atmospheric pressure 105 and devices for measuring the humidity 106.

The above clearly shows that the method of the invention, the data processing software of the invention and the kit of the invention all achieve the set objects. In particular, the invention achieves the object to provide a method for assessing the reliability of a dog-man pair that is based on objective measurements and data.

Consequently, the present invention also achieves the object to provide a method that makes it possible to obtain an objective and consistent assessment of the reliability of a dog-man pair, given the same performance of the dog-man pair/technical dog-man pair.

The present invention also achieves the object to provide a method that makes it possible to plan one or more activities for the dog-man pair, which allow the latter to actually improve its reliability in a shorter time than is presently needed when using the assessing methods of the known art.

On implementation, the method, the data processing software and the kit that are the subjects of the invention may undergo changes that, though not illustrated or described herein, shall nonetheless be covered by the present patent, provided that they come within the scope of the claims that follow.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the protection of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.