What is SmartBowl?

SmartBowl is a mobile pet-care application and dog bowl designed to increase a dog owner’s
participation in and knowledge of his or her dog’s overall well-being. This app connects to a
SmartBowl water bowl, allowing the user to refill the bowl and monitor their dog’s water intake
from anywhere. The app also has the ability to plan walks, find nearby pet stores and parks, and
shop online. Unlike other pet care apps, SmartBowl is able to use information entered in the
settings tab regarding the weight, breed, sex, and age of the user’s dog in order to provide
tailored recommendations on healthy amounts of water intake and exercise. SmartBowl allows
owners to invest in their dog’s best interest by tracking their dog’s well-being through the
statistics feature. Furthermore, these statistics will allow the owner to detect abnormalities in the
dog’s hydration and exercise habits and can provide valuable data to the veterinarian during
evaluations.

A unique feature of SmartBowl is that it does not completely automate water bowl fillings. The
bowl is connected to a refill-tank that must be manually filled by the owner. While this may
seem like a downside, this feature is important. Automatic refill apps exist for cats in particular
because they are more independent animals and are fine with little interaction with their owners.
Dogs are quite the opposite and require interactions with their owner in order to remain happy
and healthy. Keeping the refill tank limited will accomplish this because it will force interaction
between the owner and his or her dog on a more frequent basis. SmartBowl will not replace your
actions as a pet owner; rather, it will make it easier and more timely to fulfill the responsibilities
that come with owning a dog.

Who Should Use SmartBowl?

SmartBowl is ideal for a caring pet owner who leads a busy schedule. An owner with any iOS or
Android cellular device will now not have to worry if their meeting goes over or something
comes up and they cannot make it home to their pet for an extended time. Dog owners will have
a way to check up on their pet at home when their boss asks them to stay after their shift, when
traffic slows them down, or when emergencies come up. With this app, any pet owner will now
be able to keep an eye on their pet​ ​from a distance in order to ensure that their schedule does not
affect the overall well-being of their furry friend. While this app is ideal for a busy pet owner,
anyone who cares for their dog can use it for its function as a walk planner, shopping destination,
and healthy canine behavior tracking device.
What Can SmartBowl Do?
Home Screen
Once the app is opened, the home screen (as shown in Figure 1)
is displayed. The first thing seen by the user is the water bowl’s
current water level and the icons which provide access to the
app’s main features:
● Refilling the bowl
● Recent statistics
● Pet supply shopping
● Map

Figure 1​ - Home screen

displays the current water
level and the buttons to reach
the four features

Refill Water Level

The refill screen, as shown in Figure 2, allows the user to refill
SmartBowl to the selected level. The main purpose of the app is
to monitor and maintain water bowl levels for a pet, so owners
are able to interact with the different buttons and decide what is
best for their pet. There are three different options for refillable
levels. To decide what is best, there are “consumed today” and
“recommended daily intake” statistics given. If SmartBowl needs
to be refilled, a notification will be sent to the user’s phone.

Figure 2​ - Refill screen

displaying different selectable
water levels
Statistics
The statistics feature presents recent, health oriented data, as
shown in Figure 3. Knowing whether or not a dog has had
healthy water consumption is important, as well as their amount
of exercise! This feature measures weekly and monthly water
intake and walking distance. There are different identifiers on the
charts illustrating healthy, unhealthy, and potentially at risk
levels. The charts available in this feature are:
● Total water consumed for the week
● Total water consumed for the month
● Walking distances for the week
● Walking distances for the month

Figure 3​ - Statistics screen

displaying the weekly and
monthly water level data

Shopping
In order to shop for pet supplies, the SmartBowl app has the
“pet-store” feature (as shown in Figure 4). This acts as a way to
order pet food, toys, or general pet supplies.
● Filter items by top sellers, top reviews, etc.
● Search for different items
● Find nearby pet stores and links to online providers

Figure 4​ - Shopping screen

showing the top selling items
 Location
The location feature brings the user to a map (as shown in Figure
5) with nearby vets, pet stores, and dog parks included. The user
has the ability to set up a walking route with their dog, which is
recorded in statistics.

Figure 5​ - Location screen

displaying nearby stores and
parks

Why Does SmartBowl Matter?

SmartBowl is the future of pet care. For owners who are busy, yet engaged and caring, this pet
care product and app provides them a way to aid their pet near or far. With the title of “man’s
best friend,” dogs need to be treated as such, deserving only the best care. Being able to monitor
the everyday health of your furry friend holds you more responsible, and makes it easier to strive
to achieve goals you never thought you needed for your dog! SmartBowl eliminates the need to
figure out what is best for your dog and instead provides different expectations for how to ​be
what is best for them.