Amicus
A project based on the relationship between humans & their pets over long distances. Using IOT, how can we bridge the gap?
Problem Statement
The “Internet of Things’ is a system which allows non digital object to have a digital footprint and communicate with other digital objects. The rise in digital interaction has meant that some relationships which are based on physical interactions, i.e. our pets, are evolutionarily behind and growing weaker. Can design help provide us with a solution that allows digital interactions for us but a physical reaction for our pets?
Research
I chose to start my research by observing how pets react to the physical presence of their owners and how they interact with each other. It was interesting to see that although they had leashes most dogs were left to themselves with the occasional guidance by the owner. They seemed to respond to verbal and physical cues.
User Interviews
Jan, 41
Jan is a financial executive who lives just outside London and works in Canary Warf. He is married with 2 children who all share the responsibility of their dog Sunny. He takes Sunny for a walk once a day. They travel to Sweden when free and leave Sunny with a friend. Sunny’s is never alone at home otherwise.
Clive, 38, Business Executive
Clive’s dog is named Walter. He and his wife share responsibility of the pet. When both of them are out they live Walter at home for about 7/8 hours. Clive travels for 1-2 weeks in a month and his wife is less frequent. They leave Walter with family or friends for the duration of the trip. They have a schedule for him that they leave with the family and check on him once during the trip.
Simon & Dianne, Business owners
Both the owners are business owners who live and work in London. They are well to do and travel often for both business and leisure. In most cases they take their dog Zoey with them when possible. They have grandchildren who enjoy spending time with Zoey. They share a deep bond with their pet but have rules and boundaries for their pet.
The Insights
Physicality is important
People feel that the physical aspect of the relationship is what creates the emotional bond between them and their pet.
Pets are important for mental health.
Most people who work have to keep their pets at home and those who don’t have a family, have pets who become lonely, thus they look to products that help ease that time for their pets.
Information is not interaction
Products with most potential would be ones that combined the physical and digital in the most seamless way possible. It meant that any product which merely gave us information using sensors would not count for interaction on part of the owners
Initial Sketches
The Concepts
Physical to Digital to Physical
A wearable piece that stimulates the skin or “massages” your pet. The piece is activated using gestures performed on a surface (wall panel, smartphone, tablet or even your own clothing).
Share the love
A volunteer application that allows pet owners and non pet owners to meet and share experiences together. it gives the opportunity for non pet owners to enjoy the benefits of owning a pet without actually having to. Once signed in the user can decide on a variety of and locations to volunteer
Making smart toys
This concept looks at the fundamentals for designing the internet of things and uses sensors placed into existing old unused toys and gives them a second life. By repurposing these old toys the devices have a varied use and can result in a more dynamic range of products.
How it works
Meeting in the middle
The idea is to use gestures that can be performed by pet owners on their devices and transmit them via the internet to their devices worn by their pets which would interact with them.
For the Dog
Jacket
This is worn by the pet. The jacket is two layered fabric with capillaries that run along the side of the inside of the jacket. This capillaries inflate & deflate which give the imitation of hugging. This interaction is triggered by gestures applied on the owners smartphone
Power unit
The power unit, holds the pump, battery and PCB, for the jacket. The PCB has a wifi shield which is paired with the home wifi network and allows the owners to communicate with the system wirelessly.
For Us
Amicus App
The App is the owners point of interaction. Their gestures are translated into the actuations on the pet jacket that will simulate hugs and physical interactions. Different gestures can be programmed to have different types of inflation and deflation rate.
