Pengu Buddy Dzīvnieku veselības uzraudzības sistēma by Here Design Studio

Pengu Buddy Dzīvnieku veselības uzraudzības sistēma by Here Design Studio is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Dzelzs balva A' Design Award in Sociālais dizains Competition Category.

DzelzsSociālais· 2025

Pengu Buddy Dzīvnieku veselības uzraudzības sistēma

by Here Design Studio

Client: Georgia Aquarium

Dzelzs balva A' Design Award Winner in Sociālais Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #163059

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Pengu Buddy Dzīvnieku veselības uzraudzības sistēma

Pengu Buddy ir dzīvnieku veselības uzraudzības sistēma, kas izstrādāta pingvīnu dzīvotnei. Sistēma apvieno zemūdens robotu ar mobilo lietotni. Robots kalpo kā rotaļlieta pingvīniem un veicina aktivitāti, izmantojot spēles, kuras apmeklētāji vada no lietotnes. Spēles laikā robots apkopo vizuālos un akustiskos datus un nosūta tos uz informācijas paneli, ko kopēji izmanto veselības uzraudzībai. Lietotne piedāvā arī izglītojošu saturu par pingvīniem un iespējas atbalstīt dabas aizsardzību ar ziedojumiem un dāvanām.

The Recognition

About the Dzelzs balva A' Design Award

Pengu Buddy Dzīvnieku veselības uzraudzības sistēma ir Dzelzs balvas A' Design Award ieguvējs, prestiža atzinība, ko piešķir labiem dizainiem, kas atbilst profesionālajām un rūpnieciskajām prasībām, kādas sagaidāmas no labi izstrādātiem darbiem. Dzelzs ieguvēji parāda to radītāju lielo prasmi, augsto specializāciju, ekspertu izpratni un radošo spēju. Sagaidāms, ka Pengu Buddy Dzīvnieku veselības uzraudzības sistēma būs augsti vērtēts, apbrīnots un cienīts darbs, praktisks un inovatīvs. Šis ar Dzelzs balvu apbalvotais dizains integrē nozares labāko praksi un tam ir kompetentas tehniskās īpašības, kas saistītas ar zinātību un talantu. Pengu Buddy Dzīvnieku veselības uzraudzības sistēma tiek cienīts par rūpību un ir izstrādāts, lai uzlabotu dzīves kvalitāti un palīdzētu padarīt pasauli labāku.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: PenguBuddy is an interactive health data tracking system combining technology and wildlife care. It features an underwater robot that acts as both a playful toy for penguins and a data collection tool for keepers. The companion mobile app lets visitors control the robot, enjoy immersive interactions, access educational content, and support conservation through donations and gifts. This innovative solution drives positive social impact in wildlife conservation and public engagement.
Dimensions & Packaging: The mobile app interface was designed with iOS guidelines. The underwater robot dimensions: Width 640 mm x Depth 120 mm x Height 500 mm
Tags: Animal Computer Interaction, Health Monitoring, Interactive Robot, Penguin Conservation, Education, Visitor Engagement, Mobile App
Production Technology: We used Figma and Adobe After Effects to design UI interfaces and also leveraged Rhino to create and render the underwater robot 3D model. Beyond that, we also tested some sensor hardware in the Georgia Institute of Technology ACI Lab.
Design Challenge: The central design challenge involved harmonizing penguin welfare with captivating visitor interaction, navigating obstacles such as robot durability, online data processing, and ethical animal engagement. Solutions prioritized two key areas: meticulous material testing and ethical design, ensuring robot safety and scientifically informed movement patterns for responsible monitoring. And user-centric interaction design, featuring an intuitive mobile application with gamification and educational content to transform visitors from passive observers to active participants in penguin welfare.
The first is the rigorous material testing and ethical design. The underwater robot materials were extensively tested for safety and durability. The movement patterns were carefully designed to mimic animals in the African penguin colony and were informed by research scientists to guarantee ethical monitoring practices.

On the other hand, we conducted user-centric interaction design. The mobile application prioritized intuitive controls, catering to a diverse user base. Gamification and educational content were integrated to foster active, empathetic engagement, transitioning visitors from passive observers to active participants in penguin welfare.
Research: This research involved multiple research approaches, including field study, 30 hours of observation, 8 interviews with keepers and visitors, and prototype testing with 12 participants. Observation helped us understand interactions between visitors, keepers, and penguins. Interviews revealed pain points and expectations. We explored existing health tracking technologies and developed core design concepts using environment enrichment, robot interaction, and AI data insights. User feedback from prototype testing guided our design improvements.
Inspiration: Zoo animals, including penguins, often experience mood and behavior changes due to environmental and habitual shifts, leading to depression, reduced appetite, and decreased activity. However, the existing technology lacks effective data tracking for individual penguins.

The design solution draws inspiration from penguins' natural play behaviors and environmental enrichment strategies. By leveraging interactive robotic technology, we created a system that tracks penguin activity data and fosters engaging interactions between penguins and humans.
Project Duration: The project started in January 2023 and completed concept phase on February 2024 in Atlanta.
Operation Flow: This project connects penguins, visitors, and keepers through an interactive system. Visitors control the robot via the app, creating playful interactions with penguins. The robot collects visual and acoustic data about penguins' activity and sends it to the keeper's dashboard for health monitoring. The app further enriches the visitor experience through educational content and conservation content, facilitating a meaningful connection between human interaction and scientific observation.
Patents: N/A
Team Members: UX Designer: Yuwei Li
UI Designer: Xinyue Ren, Yuchuan Yu
Industrial Designer: Han Huang, Youyang Hao
Image Credits: Melody Moore Jackson, Georgia Tech ACI Lab