Press Release
Repawse Pet Power Assistive Exoskeleton by Leijing Zhou Receives the Silver A' Design Award in Pet Care, Toys, Supplies and Products for Animals Design
The international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition recognizes Leijing Zhou for pet care, toys, supplies and products for animals design
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 18, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Repawse Pet Power Assistive Exoskeleton by Leijing Zhou, designed for Zhejiang University, has been granted the Silver A' Design Award in the Pet Care, Toys, Supplies and Products for Animals Design category. The award was conferred within the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition and was reached through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who assessed anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
What the Silver A' Design Award Means
The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.
Regarding Repawse Pet Power Assistive Exoskeleton
Repawse is a rehabilitation exoskeleton designed for dogs with hindlimb impairment. Surface electromyography sensors read muscle signals from a healthy forelimb, and a microcontroller uses these signals to predict movement intention. Linear actuators then move the hindlimb support in real time, so walking stays coordinated and natural. The frame is made of aluminum alloy, the lining of soft memory foam, and the soles of anti-slip rubber. Parts are 3D printed from body scans for an individual fit and greater comfort.
About Leijing Zhou
She has studied in the UK, the Netherlands and Singapore for many years. Her research direction is human-computer interaction and intelligent design. She has won more than 10 Red dot design awards, IF design awards etc. and published nearly 10 international journals and papers. She has participated in organizing the world industrial design conference, the world ecological design conference and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization ecological design leading class as the core personnel.
Award Record
With this recognition, Leijing Zhou is a winner of 8 A' Design Awards. The awards span the editions from 2022 - 2023 to 2024 - 2025 of the A' Design Award & Competition.
About the A' Pet Care, Toys, Supplies and Products for Animals Design Award
The A' Pet Care Design Award is an international design competition recognizing good pet supplies, toys and product designs by designers and brands worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to pet care designers, animal toy designers, pet supply manufacturers and pet care brands from all countries. Entries typically include pet food, pet apparel, pet beds, feeding bowls, litter boxes and pet carriers. Awarded pet supply designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/pet-care
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://designers.org/172611
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/172611
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!172611
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/112694
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
###
Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Repawse Pet Power Assistive Exoskeleton
- Function
- Pet Power Assistive Exoskeleton
- Category
- Pet Care, Toys, Supplies and Products for Animals Design
- Discipline
- Product Design
- Industry
- Packaging & Retail and Furniture & Home
- Colors
- Dark Slate Gray, Sienna, Gainsboro, Peru and Saddle Brown
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Zhejiang University
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Leijing Zhou
- Country
- China
- Recognition
- Silver A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2024 - 2025
- Design ID
- #172611
Credits
- Team
- Menghan Li, Xinmiao Shen, Xiaofei Gong, Xiaotong Guan, Ding Ding, Jinjie Li, Qianyi Wang, Keyin Chen, Zixiang Wang and Zihan Zhang
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- In response to the rehabilitation needs of disabled pets, we have developed a canine rehabilitation exoskeleton based on surface electromyographic (sEMG) control. By collecting sEMG signals from the healthy forelimb, the system drives the hindlimb actuators in real time to synchronise gait. Combined with 3D printing for custom design, it provides precise movement assistance for disabled dogs, embodying the technological protection of animal life dignity.
- Inspiration
- The inspiration for this project originated from a news report highlighting customized prosthetics for disabled pets, exposing significant limitations in current solutions. Coupled with my personal experience of caring for my own dog after its hindlimb injury, I recognized the broader societal need to extend humane, intelligent rehabilitation technology from human healthcare into pet care, ultimately enhancing animal welfare.
- Research
- This project originated from a news report on prosthetic limbs for disabled pets, highlighting the pros and cons of current solutions. Inspired, we explored transferring active-control exoskeleton technology—originally developed for stroke patients—to veterinary rehabilitation. Through extensive field research, EMG data collection from animals, iterative predictive modeling, and mechanical prototyping, we successfully created an intelligent, active-assist exoskeleton for pets.
- Challenge
- The primary challenge was accurately interpreting animal intention through muscle signals, with few existing precedents or standards. Historically, disabled pets faced limited and uncomfortable assistive solutions. Technologically, creating lightweight yet robust actuators and ensuring comfort required extensive material research, innovative mechanical design, and iterative prototyping with real pets.
- Realization and Technology
- The exoskeleton is produced through advanced 3D printing technology allowing individual customization based on precise body scans. Lightweight, durable materials, including soft memory foam lining, aluminum alloy for structural parts, and anti-slip rubber soles, ensure strength, comfort, and safety in daily use.
- Operation and Interaction
- When the dog walks, sensors detect muscle signals (sEMG) from the healthy forelimb. These signals are processed to predict the movement intention of the impaired hindlimb, triggering linear actuators in real time. This active, intuitive assistance ensures natural movement, aiding rehabilitation efficiently.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project started in 2023 in Hangzhou and finished in March 2025 in Hangzhou.
- Specifications
- Dimensions: 220mm × 200mm × 540mm Materials: Aluminum alloy frame, soft memory foam lining, rubber soles Technology: Surface EMG sensors, linear actuators, microcontroller-based control Power source: Rechargeable lithium battery, 7.4V, 5000mAh
- Keywords
- Pet Rehabilitation, Animal Welfare, Exoskeleton, sEMG Signal, Active Control, 3D-Printing, Customized Design, Assistive Mobility
