Monitoring vital signs in hospitalized animals presents a physical challenge: an alert dog or cat cannot tolerate the cables of a conventional monitor. Dindog Tech responded with a wireless harness that records electrocardiogram, breathing, temperature, activity, and position, and alerts the veterinarian when any of these values deviate from the established range. In chapter 56 of “Toque de Ingenio,” Talía Bonmatí explains how they transitioned from a market study to a device used in clinics, detailing the failures in the electronics and explaining why the same technology was subsequently tested with human patients.
Guest: Talía Bonmatí, who was presented in the episode as the founder of Dindog Tech. Interview published: June 24, 2025. Episode: 56. Duration: 1 h 20 min.
In this episode:
- Why does a veterinary hospital need continuous monitoring without cables?
- What was the cost of developing the electronics, the data protocol, and the textile for the harness?
- How is technology sold in a traditional sector, and what happened when it was tested in human medicine?
During the conversation, Talía demonstrates a harness on a dog mannequin and systematically disassembles the kit, piece by piece: the monitor, sensors, hub, and clamps.
Veterinary monitoring: starting with the intensive care unit.
Talía explains that Dindog Tech wasn’t born from a technology, but from a search. By the end of 2015, she wanted to create a company that combined technology and animals, and she commissioned a market study involving approximately 800 people – both pet owners and professionals.
That study highlighted two problems: separation anxiety and veterinary hospitalization. The team chose the latter because, according to their accounts, there were animals that did not return home due to a lack of resources to monitor them continuously.
The veterinarians explained the routine: to take the animal out of its cage several times a day, to check its breathing, temperature, and heart rate, and to record these measurements in writing. There was no one in the room between monitoring sessions. The only alternative was the hospital’s multiparameter monitoring system, with cables designed for human use.
“An awake animal doesn’t tolerate cables”.
Talía Bonmatí 08:23.
From that, the initial specification was established: to measure without cables, to alert when a parameter goes outside of its range, and to reduce handling of the animal. Working with the veterinarians, they defined which parameters needed to be monitored in real-time.
A harness with sensors, designed by veterinary cardiologists.
The system Talía presents consists of three components. A monitor that fits in a pocket of the harness, which receives signals from three electrocardiogram electrodes and an infrared thermometer. A hub that is installed in the hospital room and can receive up to four devices. And a cloud-based platform with a panel to view all patients simultaneously.
The parameters measured are electrocardiogram, heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, activity level, and position.
The harnesses were designed in collaboration with veterinary cardiologists. The electrodes are placed in the same locations that professionals already use, to avoid altering their procedures. The system alerts if a patch has dried out or become disconnected. For short monitoring periods, atraumatic clips are used, which prevent any abrasion.
The electronics were placed at the top of the harness for two reasons: to distribute the weight and to prevent the animal from biting or scratching at them, which would introduce noise into the signal. There are five sizes, ranging from approximately 2 to 40 kilograms, with an adjustable Velcro strap.
The battery lasts approximately 150 hours in real-time use. The initial version communicates via Bluetooth; during an interview, a second device connected via direct Wi-Fi and with six additional connections was used.
Developing electronics: a failed supplier and a fresh start.
Talía and her partner were not engineers. Before establishing the company on April 1, 2016, they consulted with engineers and engineering firms to confirm that the parameters could be measured using what was available on the market.
The initial decision was to outsource the development of the device’s core to an electronics firm. As they reported, the delivery was a prototype that didn’t even turn on, and recovering the money cost them a year and a confidentiality agreement. They had presented them with a near-final product within three months.
Following that lost year, they hired an engineer and started from the beginning: testing which sensors worked best in animals, miniaturizing, and moving from large, unattractive prototypes to a more finished product. Talía identifies the greatest technical challenge in the data transmission protocol, which must transmit every eight milliseconds to display the electro tracing in real-time.
“Each step has felt like a descent into hell, and then returning”.
Talía Bonmatí 46:03.
The algorithms were adjusted by comparing them with multiparametric monitors used in hospitals, which were treated as a reference, and by setting different thresholds based on size – a small dog breathes much faster than a large one. Another practical challenge was the unreliable internet connection in the clinics, which required the software to be reinforced to prevent brief interruptions.
The textile business had its own unique path. Several factories refused to create prototypes for dogs, and animals simply can’t scale like humans – a thorax casing for a greyhound looks completely different from one for a German Shepherd.
This tour illustrates why the Electronic engineering A wearable device for animals cannot be solved with a simple, isolated order. Sensors, firmware, algorithms, and the textile all need to evolve together. prototypes successive.
Selling technology in a traditional sector with a limited market.
The product was launched at the end of 2021. Talía describes the veterinary sector as very traditional and under-digitised, with overwhelmed teams. A significant part of the current work involves education: explaining how the tool will help them work more efficiently.
The concern about the cost is addressed through revenue. According to their calculations, the investment is recouped within a period of two and a half to five months, due to the hospitals increasing their hospitalization fees by between 8 and 10 euros.
Edgar and Talia agree on a particular point regarding the Lean Startup method: that releasing something imperfect can work with large markets, not with markets like around 2,000 hospitals in Spain, where everyone knows each other. According to Talia, in B2B, a strong reputation requires a more cautious approach.
The business model has changed significantly. At the time of the interview, they were selling through distributors in Thailand, Singapore, and the United States, offering software without subscriptions and a premium plan with artificial intelligence. They were also planning the next step: to lease the equipment and charge for monitoring, with a minimum monthly fee – a possibility due to their existing stock. The idea was for clinics to use the system instead of purchasing it.
The transition to human medicine and the weight of certification.
The pandemic effectively derailed the investment deal they had arranged. Shortly after, following a program with IQS, the Catalan Institute of Health became interested in their telemedicine system for field hospitals being set up.
They were asked to add a pulse oximeter, which they didn’t have. With sensors ordered from the United States and prototype plastic components, their hardware engineer integrated the new measurement, and they produced eight prototypes which were tested in a field hospital.
The hospitals encouraged them to pursue a standard certification instead of an emergency one. This involved redesigning the PCBs, hiring a healthcare consultancy, obtaining ISO 13485 certification, and undergoing laboratory testing by a certification agency – even including renting equipment in Taiwan and transporting it to Italy for specific testing purposes.
They went as far as pausing the MDR (Medical Device Regulation) file before it was formally presented. According to Talia, the reason for this was the decision to separate the human line within a separate society and to avoid using the resources of the veterinary line. The project is still very advanced and open to being commercialized by a company in the medical sector.
Diversify suppliers and choose your partners carefully.
Asked about her biggest mistake, Talia refers back to her initial error: trusting a partner without verifying it with her clients.
The second key learning is not to rush into filling a vacancy by hiring the “least bad” candidate – this can actually create two problems. Conducting more interviews, administering more tests, and extending trial periods are, in effect, becoming a filtering process.
The third stage involves manufacturing. During the semiconductor crisis, they left China, where they couldn’t find components, and moved production to Kyiv. With the war, as mentioned in the conversation, production has shifted to Poland. Talía’s conclusion is to have multiple partners for each aspect.
What can another development team learn?
The Dindog Tech case offers four key lessons for anyone developing a device with sensors:
- Compare the supplier with their clients. Before outsourcing the core of a product, it’s important to speak with someone who has already undertaken a similar task.
- Be wary of the next three months. Custom hardware, firmware, and algorithms tailored to the end-user cannot be developed within that timeframe; simply creating a template already takes three months.
- Design for the user who is manipulating the device. Electrodes in the usual locations, alerts for loose patches, and electronics outside the animal’s range, all contribute to a loss of data.
- Scale according to market size. With a limited number of potential clients and a high degree of interconnectedness, each faulty unit damages reputation; it’s advisable to test on a small scale.
At the time of the interview, Dindog Tech was selling its pet system for dogs, cats, and horses, concluding the second version with Wi-Fi and six integrations, and preparing pilot programs with veterinary hospitals to test the monitoring payment system. The human telemedicine line was on hold pending advanced certification.
At i-mas, we develop electronics, firmware, and products for devices that measure signals in real-world conditions. If your project requires integrating sensors, communication, and algorithms into a device that will be handled by someone, Tell us about your project..
To continue reading: How to develop a wearable device that measures physiological signals..
Source of article: Interview with Edgar Guerrero and Talía Bonmatí on Toque de Ingenio. The excerpts cited link to the minute of the conversation. The project recommendations are a summarised editorial from i-mas.
