Pikapoo Rọ́bọ̀tì Gbígbé Ìgbẹ́ Ajá by Yihan Luo and Zihang Zheng is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Irin A' Design Award in Àpẹẹrẹ Rọ́bọ́tíìkì, Ẹ̀rọ Adáṣe àti Ìṣàdáṣe Competition Category.
IrinRọ́bọ́tíìkì· 2025
Pikapoo Rọ́bọ̀tì Gbígbé Ìgbẹ́ Ajá
Client: Yihan Luo and Zihang Zheng
Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Irin A' Design Award Winner in Rọ́bọ́tíìkì Category
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The Design
About Pikapoo Rọ́bọ̀tì Gbígbé Ìgbẹ́ Ajá
Pẹ̀lú bí ó ṣe fẹ́rẹ̀ẹ́ tó ẹgbẹ̀rún mílíọ̀nù ẹ̀ẹ́dẹ́gbẹ̀rin (900) àwọn ajá tí àwọn èèyàn ní káàkiri àgbáyé, ìṣàkóso ìgbẹ́ ajá ti di ìbàkasí àyíká tó ń pọ̀ sí i. Ìwádìí fi hàn pé tó lé ní àádọ́ta lọ́gọ́rùn-ún (50%) àwọn olóhun ajá kò ń ṣe ìmọ́tọ́ ní àwọn ibi tí ó pamọ́ nítorí àìrọrùn tàbí àìmọ̀ràn tó péye. Pikapoo mú ojúṣe rọ́bọ̀tì ọlọ́gbọ́n wá tí ó ní PooBot, rọ́bọ̀tì aládáni tí ó ń wá kiri tí ó sì ń ṣa ìgbẹ́ ajá jọ, àti PooBase, ẹ̀rọ ìdàpọ̀ tí ó sopọ̀ mọ́ tí ó ń yí ìgbẹ́ padà sí ajílẹ̀. A ń ṣàkóso gbogbo ètò náà nípa àtòjọ alagbeka tí ó rọrùn fún olùlò.
The Recognition
About the Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Irin A' Design Award
Pikapoo Rọ́bọ̀tì Gbígbé Ìgbẹ́ Ajá jẹ́ olùborí Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Irin A' Design Award, ìdánimọ̀ olókìkí tí a fún àwọn àwòṣe tó dára tí wọ́n pàdé àwọn ohun tí iṣẹ́ àti ilé-iṣẹ́ nílò tí a retí láti ọ̀dọ̀ àwọn ẹ̀dá tí a ṣàwòṣe dáradára. Àwọn olùborí Irin ń fi ìjáfáfá ńlá, ìmọ̀ pàtó gíga, òye ògbóǹtarìgì àti agbára ìṣẹ̀dá àwọn olùṣẹ̀dá wọn hàn. A retí pé Pikapoo Rọ́bọ̀tì Gbígbé Ìgbẹ́ Ajá yóò jẹ́ ẹ̀dá tí a kà sí gidigidi, tí a gbóríyìn fún tí a sì nífẹ̀ẹ́, tó wúlò tó sì ní ìmúṣẹ̀dá tuntun. Àwòṣe tó borí Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Irin A' Design Award yìí ń kó àwọn ọ̀nà tó dára jùlọ ilé-iṣẹ́ jọ, ó sì ní àwọn ànímọ́ ìmọ̀-ẹ̀rọ tó péye tí a so mọ́ ìmọ̀ ṣíṣe àti ẹ̀bùn. A bọ̀wọ̀ fún Pikapoo Rọ́bọ̀tì Gbígbé Ìgbẹ́ Ajá nítorí ìfọ̀kànbalẹ̀ rẹ̀, a sì ṣàwòṣe rẹ̀ láti pèsè ìmúdára ìgbésí ayé tó ń ran ayé lọ́wọ́ láti di ibi tó dára jù.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- With approximately 900 million dogs owned globally, studies show that up to 50% of dog owners skip cleanup in secluded areas due to inconvenience and misconceptions. Dog waste harms the environment and disrupts public spaces. Pikapoo addresses this issue with a smart robotic system: the PooBot (a poop-collecting robot) that picks up waste, and the PooBase (a smart composting unit) that converts it into fertilizer, all managed through an app.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 457.2 mm x 355.6 mm x 304.8 mm / 12.5KG
- Tags
- Robotics, Pet, Eco-Friendly Design, Sustainability, User-Centric Design, Social Impact
- Production Technology
- When PooBot deposits waste into PooBase, a specialized catalyzer containing all-natural microorganisms—including lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, photosynthetic bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi—initiates the transformation of waste into nutrient-rich organic fertilizer. These microorganisms accelerate waste breakdown, eliminate odors, and neutralize harmful pathogens. Once the composting process is complete, part of the fertilizer is released into the surrounding soil to enrich it, while the remainder is transferred back to PooBot for even distribution across the lawn.
- Design Challenge
- The biggest challenge for Pikapoo is figuring out how to recycle dog feces in a way that benefits both the environment and dog owners. For dog owners, we identified an opportunity: in our product Poobot, we designed a system that transforms dog feces into a stool sample for health checks, which can then be picked up by a courier. To support environmental sustainability, Poobot sends the remaining waste to Poobase, where a built-in catalyzer processes the feces into fertilizer.
- Research
- For Pikapoo, we conducted a field research expedition to identify the problem: dog feces near gardens and plants were often left uncollected. Through secondary research, we found that improperly disposed dog feces contain enough bacteria to contaminate soil within a 20-mile radius. Additionally, we gathered feedback from over 100 dog-owning families. Many of them believed that dog poop is beneficial to the soil—but this is a misconception.
- Inspiration
- Cleaning up after pets is tedious, messy, and unpleasant. The diversity among dog owners can make it inconvenient for some to pick up dog waste; for example, elderly individuals may have difficulty bending down, and busy professionals may lack the time. When owners neglect this task, it results in unpleasant sights and polluted, unhealthy land. Pikapoo leverages robotic technology equipped with advanced olfactory and image recognition to offer an efficient solution.
- Project Duration
- Project was initiated since 2019 in Beijing, China. It has gone through rounds of variation and refinement, eventually finished in 2024 in Los Angeles.
- Operation Flow
- Pikapoo is just one click away. Through the app, users request a PooBot to collect dog waste. After collection, the PooBot takes a sample for health monitoring, which is later delivered to the vet. The remaining waste is transported to the nearest PooBase, where it’s composted into organic fertilizer while the PooBot charges wirelessly.
- Team Members
- Industrial Designer: Zihang (Matt) Zheng
Design Research and UIUX Designer: Yihan (Sakura) Luo - Image Credits
- All Copyright Yihan Luo, Zihang Zheng
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