Device claims to make dogs 'smarter'

A team of US graduate students has developed a dog feeder which they believe can make pets smarter.

Co-founders of CleverPet Leo Trottier and Dan Knudsen met at University of California, San Diego, where they studied for PhDs in cognitive science and neuroscience respectively.

Using their experience of working with animals, they decided to develop a digital dog feeder, that uses algorithms based on behavioural science to set dogs progressively harder challenges, with food as a reward.

Working out of their living room, they turned to crowdfunding service Kickstarter to try and get funding for their prototype. BBC News caught up with them by webcam over the internet.

Video Journalist: Dougal Shaw