Pengu Buddy Sistem Gjurmimi i Shëndetit të Kafshëve by Here Design Studio

Pengu Buddy Sistem Gjurmimi i Shëndetit të Kafshëve by Here Design Studio is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Çmimi i Hekurt A' Design Award in Dizajni Social Competition Category.

HekuriSocial· 2025

Pengu Buddy Sistem Gjurmimi i Shëndetit të Kafshëve

by Here Design Studio

Client: Georgia Aquarium

Çmimi i Hekurt A' Design Award Winner in Social Category

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The Design

About Pengu Buddy Sistem Gjurmimi i Shëndetit të Kafshëve

Pengu Buddy është një sistem gjurmimi i shëndetit të kafshëve i projektuar për një habitat pinguinësh. Sistemi kombinon një robot nënujor me një aplikacion celular. Roboti shërben si lodër për pinguinët dhe nxit aktivitetin e tyre përmes lojërave që vizitorët i kontrollojnë nga aplikacioni. Gjatë lojës, roboti mbledh të dhëna vizuale dhe akustike dhe i dërgon ato në një panel kontrolli që përdoret nga kujdestarët për monitorimin e shëndetit. Aplikacioni ofron gjithashtu përmbajtje edukative rreth pinguinëve, si dhe mundësi për të mbështetur konservimin përmes donacioneve dhe dhuratave.

The Recognition

About the Çmimi i Hekurt A' Design Award

Pengu Buddy Sistem Gjurmimi i Shëndetit të Kafshëve është fitues i Çmimit të Hekurt A' Design Award, një njohje prestigjioze që u akordohet dizajneve të mira që plotësojnë kërkesat profesionale e industriale që priten nga krijimet e dizajnuara mirë. Fituesit e Hekurt shfaqin aftësi të madhe, specializim të lartë, kuptim ekspert dhe kapacitet krijues të autorëve të tyre. Pengu Buddy Sistem Gjurmimi i Shëndetit të Kafshëve pritet të jetë një krijim shumë i vlerësuar, i admiruar e i dashur, praktik dhe inovativ. Ky dizajn fitues i Çmimit të Hekurt A' Design Award integron praktikat më të mira të industrisë dhe ka karakteristika teknike të afta, të lidhura me njohuri dhe talent. Pengu Buddy Sistem Gjurmimi i Shëndetit të Kafshëve respektohet për përpikërinë e tij dhe është dizajnuar për të ofruar përmirësime të cilësisë së jetës që ndihmojnë ta bëjnë botën një vend më të mirë.

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