Mental Floss

This High-Tech Leash Comes With an “Emergency Brake”

A new smart leash raising funds on Kickstarter auto-locks when your dog pulls and charges itself using kinetic energy.
ByCaLea Johnson|
Hello.it‘s leash combines renewable energy with dog walking.
Hello.it‘s leash combines renewable energy with dog walking. | Hello.it

There’s nothing like taking your dog for a walk—unless chaos ensues when your four-legged friend tries to escape their leash and sprint away. A new high-tech leash currently raising funds on Kickstarter aims to prevent this from happening.

According to New Atlas, the product from the pet technology company Hello.it automatically locks up when it senses your canine starting to run or pull away from you. This “emergency brake” works within milliseconds, avoiding catastrophe when your dog gets a little too out of control.

To make things even more convenient for pet owners, the leash can charge itself. Its traction rope converts kinetic energy into battery juice every time the Hello.it leash stretches and retracts. That means you can extend the device’s battery life with every walk and have an emergency power reserve to rely on.

Other high-tech features are designed to minimize your effort on walks. With its gesture recognition tech, you simply have to turn your wrist 90 degrees to lock the leash. This way, you don’t have to worry about your dog getting ahead of you when you pause to get out a poop bag. If you’re a night-time walker, the Hello.it leash may also come in handy; its handles contain bright LED lights, allowing you to see what’s ahead. 

The Hello.it Kickstarter page also mentions a 30-minute timer to let you know when your pet has gotten sufficient exercise. In general, 20 to 30-minute walks are enough for many dogs, but that timeframe varies depending on the breed. You can also add a magnetic anti-barking device to your purchase; when activated, it gently vibrates to distract your dog from barking.

Check out the Hello.it leash in action via the video below.

Two leash models—the T1 and SE—are currently available to preorder on Kickstarter. The T1 leash comes with a light module on the clip and an expansion port for the anti-barking device. The SE model is expected to retail for $129 and the T1 for $139. Early bird and super early bird buyers can get the SE model for a pledge of $89 or $79, respectively. Meanwhile, the T1 is priced at $99 for early birds and $89 for super early birds.

If the campaign is successful, shipment is expected to begin in June 2025.

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