Skip to main content

This $3,000 doggy door automatically opens when your pets approach

Over the past year, many people became pet owners for the first time — but as vaccines roll out and restrictions lift, those pets will feel a major shift in their routines as their owners go back to work. MyQ, the company behind the popular series of garage door openers, has a solution: The myQ Pet Portal, a smart doggie door that received the CES 2021 Smart Home Innovation Award.

The myQ Pet Portal is more than just a doggie door. It allows owners to control the door remotely so your pup can go outside and play, even if you aren’t at home. It also supports live video feeds so you can watch your furry friend in the yard, as well as chat with them through two-way audio communication.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The myQ Pet Portal is an all-in-one solution that replaces an exterior door, but not in a noticeable way. In fact, from outside your home, the replacement will be almost invisible. People walking down the street, visitors to your home, and hopefully even the squirrels won’t notice the change in the door. MyQ works with Kolbe to provide modern, attractive doors that fit well with any home.

Your pet can also open the door by itself thanks to a smart collar sensor. The door locks after one animal passes through it, preventing any other animal from “tailgating” through the door. It’s a great way to keep the family cat from going outside to feast on birds when you only mean to let your dog out to potty. The myQ Pet Portal is designed with a wide range of pet sizes in mind, ranging from dogs as small as 10 pounds to up to 90 pounds. Just place the myQ Pet Portal Sensor on your dog’s collar to keep track of which dog goes through the door and when.

Some folks may be concerned about the potential of a burglar in some way breaking in through this doggie door, but the bright minds at myQ designed it so that there’s a locking measure in place that would prevent it from being compromised. It’s also designed to withstand damage from someone smacking it in the hope of it opening up.

The myQ Pet Portal App will provide daily reports on how often a pet goes outside and allow you to set custom settings for when your dog can come and go. The device is designed for convenience, but also to keep your pets safe during the day. After all, pets truly are members of the family.

Patrick Hearn
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Patrick Hearn writes about smart home technology like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart light bulbs, and more. If it's a…
This video doorbell can tell if the person on your doorstep has a fever
ettie video doorbell measures guests temperature ces 2021

In a time where health has become the primary focus for many people, it's easy to keep track of your own temperature and well-being. It's not so easy to ascertain the temperature of others. When you have someone coming to your door, whether a delivery driver or a visitor, it's important to know if they may have a fever. The Ettie Smart Video Doorbell has made waves at CES 2021 for its ability to obtain this information.

This CES 2021 Innovation Award Honoree uses an infrared temperature sensor to measure a visitor's body temperature and sends a warning if they are running a fever. It also has a capacity log to measure how many people are within a space. The Ettie Smart Video Doorbell can be used for residential purposes, but it's also a great way to manage the comings and goings at small businesses.

Read more
Lockly Duo smart lock conveniently unlocks knob and deadbolt with a single twist
lockly duo deadbolt doorknob smart lock ces 2021 2

A smart lock is often one of the first types of smart tech someone encounters, and for the past few years, CES has been a treasure trove of smart lock technology from a dozen different companies. This year is no different at CES 2021. One company that continues to deliver iterative smart locks is Lockly, the same company that wowed many last year (including us) with its smart lock and video doorbell combo, the Lockly Vision.

For this year's show, Lockly introduces the Duo, a two-in-one latch and deadbolt smart lock that combines both security features into a single, compact device. Lockly's patent-pending Dual-Locking Technology secures both the latch and deadbolt in a single motion; all you have to do is close the door and lift the latch upward. This solution is ideal for those who have a door with separate locks for their deadbolt and doorknob, so rather than unlocked each individually (with a different key in some instances), the Lockly Duo solves this problem by combining the two.

Read more
Roborock S7 robot vacuum erases tough, dry stains through sonic mopping
Roborock S7 robot vacuum cleaning a rug on a hardwood floor.

The new Roborock S7 robot vacuum offers new, powerful features that make it stand out from the rest of the Roborock lineup and seal its position as the brand's top-of-the-line model just in time for CES 2021. Following the success of its S6 MaxV last year, the Roborock S7 is unique because it leverages one of the fastest sonic mops on the market, which means it scrubs anywhere from 1,650 times per minute all the way to 3,000 times per minute.

This gives it the ability to disintegrate dirt and dried-on grime to provide a more thorough clean than any other mop on the market. It combines this with an intelligent lift technology powered through VibraRise that ensures the mop deactivates and lifts itself out of the way when carpets are detected.

Read more