Guide Dogs for the blind folks generally come trained for taking them around the neighborhood and maybe an extra distance. This surely curtails mobility and independence in case they want to explore more than their usual territory. The Peepo GPS Device gives these people a certain degree of freedom to travel beyond the normal route. The GPS system charts the course and guides the dog to the desired destination using a series of vibrations to steer him.

If you can’t see the video click here.

The two-part device comprises of a handheld GPS unit, which uses vocal commands to register the destination and map it. The second attaches to the guide dog’s handle and gives subtle directions via vibration zones; L= Left, R= Right, F= Forward and up on arriving the destination, the zones simultaneously vibrate.

The biggest USP of this device is that it has a touch “return home same way function”, which is quite reassuring.

Designer: Jason Perkins

I don’t have an iPhone but for those who do they just approved a new dog game which benefits Guide Dogs of Texas. You can get yourself a virtual puppy to play with while contributing to a good cause at the same.

Guide Dogs of Texas raises, trains and provides guide dogs to visually impaired Texans to enhance their mobility and independence. It is the only guide dog school in Texas and is a member of the International Guide Dog Federation.

Dolan created a downloadable application called Pocket Puppy Raiser that allows users to interact with a virtual puppy on the Apple iPhone. Users can scratch a sleeping puppy’s belly until its leg shakes, pet the dog until it licks the iPhone screen or play a game of tug-of-war with the pup. Apple approved Pocket Puppy Raiser on May 7.

The application costs $2.99 per download and proceeds will be split among the iPhone App Store, Dolan and Guide Dogs of Texas.

To download the app, go to iTunes and search “Pocket Puppy Raiser.”

The Pocket Puppy Raiser will eventually be upgraded to include more tasks.

* Pic courtesy Guide Dogs of Texas

American Idol castoff Scott MacIntyre has a new idol, Paula Abdul. MacIntyre may not have made it into the final three but he’s about to receive something  even better than being named the next American Idol.

The singer who got booted from the show five weeks ago is visually challenged, although not completely blind.Thanks to the generosity of Abdul he is going to receive a guide dog.

Scott walked-or “test drove” as he joked-two of the organization’s Labrador retrievers on Friday, but he won’t get his dog until after the American Idol tour ends on Sept. 15. At that time, he’ll get matched up with the right pooch for him and go through a 28-day training process. “We have to find a dog that really likes loud music,” joked Paula.

Scott, who was lured to the event under the false pretense that he was there to sing, was quite surprised to learn the truth…

“Are you serious? Thank you so much,” Scott told Paula at the event, which was in honor of May being National Guide Dog Month and cosponsored by Natural Balance Pet Foods and Petco.

Watch the clip of Paula and Scott now–

What a great gesture on the part of Paula Abdul.

* Couldn’t you see yourself adopting Gus? He’s a gorgeous 2-year-old in need of a forever home.