Pikapoo Irobhothi Yokukhipha Udoti Wezinja by Yihan Luo and Zihang Zheng is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Umklomelo Wensimbi we-A' Design Award in Amarobhothi Competition Category.
InsimbiAmarobhothi· 2025
Pikapoo Irobhothi Yokukhipha Udoti Wezinja
Client: Yihan Luo and Zihang Zheng
Umklomelo Wensimbi we-A' Design Award Winner in Amarobhothi Category
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The Design
About Pikapoo Irobhothi Yokukhipha Udoti Wezinja
Ngezinja ezingaba yizigidi ezingama-900 ezingomabantu emhlabeni wonke, ukuphathwa kodoti lwezinja sekube yinkinga ekhulayo yemvelo. Ucwaningo lukhombisa ukuthi cishe ama-50% abanikazi bayekela ukuhlanza ezindaweni ezisezimfihlakalweni ngenxa yokungabi lula noma ulwazi olungalungile. I-Pikapoo yethula isisombululo serobhothi ehlakaniphile esiqukethe i-PooBot, irobhothi ezimele ethola futhi ibuthe udoti lwezinja, kanye ne-PooBase, iyunithi yokwenza umgquba exhumene eguqula udoti lube umanyolo. Uhlelo lonke luphethwe ngohlelo lokusebenza lweselula olulula ukusebenza.
The Recognition
About the Umklomelo Wensimbi we-A' Design Award
Pikapoo Irobhothi Yokukhipha Udoti Wezinja iwinile uMklomelo Wensimbi we-A' Design Award, ukwaziswa okuhloniphekile okunikezwa imiklamo emihle ehlangabezana nezidingo zobungcweti nezemboni ezilindelekile ezimpahleni ezihlelwe kahle. Abawinile beNsimbi babonisa ikhono elikhulu, ubungcweti obuphezulu, ukuqonda kochwepheshe namandla okudala abadali babo. Pikapoo Irobhothi Yokukhipha Udoti Wezinja ilindeleke ukuba ibe yinto exatshwa kakhulu, edunyiswayo nethandwayo esebenzayo nenezinto ezintsha. Lo mklamo owinile uMklomelo Wensimbi we-A' Design Award uhlanganisa izindlela ezinhle kakhulu zemboni futhi unezimfanelo zobuchwepheshe ezifanelekile ezihlanganiswe nolwazi nethalente. Pikapoo Irobhothi Yokukhipha Udoti Wezinja iyahlonishwa ngenxa yokucophelela kwayo futhi ihlelelwe ukulethela izinguquko zomgangatho wempilo ezisiza ukwenza umhlaba ube yindawo engcono.
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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