A method and apparatus for measuring the biological condition of an animal
by acquiring and analyzing its biological signals are provided. The
biological signals from skin temperature, a photoplenthysmogram (PPG), an
electrocardiogram (ECG), electrodermal activity (EDA), an electromyogram
(EMG), and an electrogastrogram (EGG) are detected using a biological
signal detection unit which is attached to the animal's skin. Feature
vectors, including the mean heart rate of the photoplenthysmogram and its
standard deviation, the very low frequency, low frequency, and high
frequency components of heart rate variability, the frequency and mean
amplitude of skin conductance responses, and the mean and maximum skin
temperatures, are extracted from the detected biological signals. The
biological condition, including needs and emotions, of the animal as to
whether or not the animal feels hunger or fear, how much the animal is
stressed, or whether or not the animal needs to have a bowel movement, is
determined using a pattern classifier which has learned reference
vectors, which reflect the behaviors, needs, and emotions of different
kinds of animals for various biological conditions and are stored in a
predetermined database. Therefore, the biological condition of the animal
can be determined through instrumental communication, not through human
languages, and the breeding of pets can be efficiently managed.