Ropet
Ropet is an interactive robot designed to mimic the behaviors of real pets, helping families understand the responsibilities of pet ownership.
Connected to an educational app, Ropet guides users through daily tasks, offering a realistic understanding of what it takes to care for a pet. It aims to reduce the rising rates of pet abandonment by helping people make informed decisions before adopting a live pet.
Project Overview
PROBLEM
​The project aims to reduce pet abandonment by helping people better understand pet care. Many pets are adopted on impulse or given as gifts, which leads to unrealistic expectations and abandonment. The goal is to provide clear information and a realistic preview of pet care to help people make better decisions.
SOLUTION
​​Design an interactive system to help families experience the daily responsibilities of pet care, aiming to provide a realistic preview of pet ownership, reduce impulsive decisions, and lower the rates of pet abandonment.
ROLE
Industrial designer, UX/UI designer
TIME
10 Weeks
TOOLS
Adobe Ilustrator, Photoshop, Figma, Soldidworks & Autocad
EMPATHISE
Research
Through my secondary research, I was able to identify three main problems pet ownership and abandonment include:
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High Abandonment Rates: A significant percentage of pets are abandoned or surrendered each year due to factors such as financial difficulties, lifestyle changes, and lack of time.
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Unprepared Pet Owners: Many new pet owners do not fully understand the responsibilities involved, leading to mismatched expectations and a high rate of pets being given up shortly after adoption.
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Pets Given as Gifts: Pets are often given as gifts, particularly to children, which can result in higher abandonment rates due to inadequate preparation and commitment from the recipients.
Competitive Analysis
I conducted a competitive analysis to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of my competitors within the pet education market. I identified Ropet's direct competitors (FurReal friends, zoomer robot, pomsies) and indirect ones (FirstaidPet app) to see how Ropet could fill in any gaps moving forward.
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Users Interview
I conducted interviews to five participants who met my criteria (Parents whose children have been requesting a pet for some time) During the interviews, I aimed to understand their pet ownership experiences, how well they comprehend the responsibilities, and what might help them feel more prepared for it.
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Here are some quotes that were key highlights for the development of my research study:
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User Persona
Based on my target audience, I created a user persona which helped me understand the specific needs and concerns of my public. This understanding allows me to design features and interactions that meet their expectations, focusing my research on what matters most to the user. Meet Rebecca:
Rebeca
Female, 37 yrs, Married, 2 kids, Sales representative.
“My kids are excited about getting a pet, but I’m worried they don’t understand the work involved.”
GOALS
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Ensure her family is ready for a pet.​
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Teach her kids about pet care responsibilities.​
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Make an informed decision to prevent future regrets.
NEEDS
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An interactive tool to educate her kids on pet care.​
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A realistic preview of what pet ownership entails.​
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Family-friendly engagement to ensure everyone is on board.
MOTIVATIONS
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Family happiness and well-being.
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Teaching responsibility to her kids.
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Avoiding mistakes in pet ownership.
FRUSTRATIONS
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Uncertainty about handling pet care.
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Kids’ unrealistic expectations about pets.
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Lack of realistic resources for pet ownership.
Empathy Map
Using the information I had gathered from the user interviews and connecting with my user persona, I created an empathy map to understand what my users say, think, do and feel about the idea of acquiring a pet for the family.​
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USER
From analyzing the empathy map, I identified key insights about the user's needs:
Need for Education:
People doubt if their families can manage a pet and need to understand what caring for one means. They want their children to understand the realities of pet care.
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Fear of Regret:
People worry about making a decision that could lead to pet abandonment, and want to be completely sure of bringing a pet home.​
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Shared Responsibility:
People fear that pet care will fall on them alone. A solution that promotes shared family responsibility is essential.​
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DEFINE & IDEATE
Defining the problem
Using the insights, pain points, and opportunities from the empathy map, I began defining the problem to ensure the project addresses real user needs and sets clear goals for success. To create an effective problem statement, I developed point-of-view (POV) statements and "How Might We" (HMW) questions to guide the brainstorming process.
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HMW questions
Generating HMW questions helps me guide creative thinking and idea generation, intended to communicate the most important problems users want solved. Here are the key challenges to this project:
HMW + INTENDED ACTION + FOR + POTENTIAL USER + SO THAT + DESIRED OUTCOME
How might we educate families on the responsibilities of pet care to ensure they are fully informed before making a commitment?
How might we provide families with a preview of their pet ownership capability to reduce the risk of abandonment?
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How might we promote shared pet care responsibilites among all family members, ensuring it doesn't become a burden on just one person?
Brainstorming
Taking the HMW question, I started my brainstorming process to come up with solutions for each of the problems. I decided to use mind mapping so that I could quickly generate as many ideas as I could.
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Concept statment
I reviewed the new ideas generated, assessed their practicality, and prioritized those that best aligned with the project goals. This process helped me create a clear concept statement.
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A system that lets families experience pet ownership responsibilities using a robotic pet, paired with an interactive app for managing care tasks and providing educational content.
User Stories -
Identifying key features of the app
Prior to designing, I needed to determine the key functions that a user would require. To accomplish this, I categorized user stories according to priority. This approach helped me to identify the essential features and elements that were necessary for a seamless user experience.
HIGH PRIORITY
As a Kid, I Want to ...
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Explore different scenarios through simulations, so I can understand what happens when pets face various situations.
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Play with the robot and be able to check his emotions and needs
As an Adult Pet Owner, I Want to ...
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Receive feedback on my pet care activities, so I can improve and ensure I'm doing things correctly.
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Access step-by-step tutorials on pet care tasks through the app, so I can properly care for my pet.
MEDIUM PRIORITY
As a kid, I want to ...
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Customize care routines for my robotic pet and see how different routines impact its behavior, so I can experiment and learn.
As an Adult Pet Owner, I Want to ...
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Receive personalized pet care reminders based on my robotic pet’s simulated needs, so I stay on track with tasks.
LOW PRIORITY
As a kid, I want to
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Earn rewards and badges for completing pet care tasks, so I feel motivated to take care of my robotic pet.
As an Adult Pet Owner, I Want to ...
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Assign pet care tasks to different family members through the app, so everyone shares responsibility and the workload is balanced.
SiteMap
​I grouped related content and listed key features in order to create the Aps sitemap, which outlines the app’s structure, helping to ensure that users can easily navigate and accomplish their goals.
Task Flow
Using the user stories, I created task flows to map out the steps (measured in clicks and screens) users would take to complete specific tasks. This approach helped ensure a smooth, logical experience and allowed me to identify and fix problems early.
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As a user, I want to watch lessons about pet care to learn about the responsibilities involved in pet ownership in a challenging way
Low Fidelity Sketches
Using my understanding of the user’s interaction with the app, I created low-fidelity sketches to quickly visualize its basic layout and structure.
Mid-Fidelity Sketches
In order to give a clearer picture of how the final product will work, I transferred the initial hand sketches into Mid Fidelity screens where I could add more detail to the design by refinimg the visual elements and its functionality. In this way I could create an initial prototype to test my product
UI DESIGN
Branding
I first clarified the brand's values in order to effectively translate them into a visual style that communicates:
Responsibility, Empathy, Family-Centricity, Innovation, Sustainability, and Education.
MoodBoard
I created a moodboard to establish the initial look and feel for the project's aesthetics, aiming to balance the warmth of family and pets with the innovation of technology.
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Color Palette and Typography
The chosen color palette aligns with Ropet’s values by balancing innovation and warmth.
Purple represents empathy and technology, while orange, an energetic and warm color, reflects the project's family-centered focus. Black conveys responsibility, and white emphasizes clarity, supporting Ropet's educational goals.
The Poppins Typography Its clean and clear, Its rounded edges transmit warmth and approachability, aligned with the brand values.
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Logo Design
After sketching some logo concepts, this one was selected for its clarity and approachable design. The rounded letters create a friendly feel, while the heart symbol with its gradient colors reflects Ropet’s core values of care, family, and innovation.
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INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
Designing Ropet as a Physical Product
Since this project includes a physical product and I have a background in industrial design, I decided to handle the robot's design myself.
Configuration Sketches
I began by sketching possible configurations for the robot, ensuring that the design aligns with the brand's values.
The robot's design should blend warmth and innovation. With soft, rounded features and expressive eyes for emotional connection, while sleek elements like LED lights, minimalistic surfaces, and smooth movements reflecting its advanced technology.
3D Modeling
I used 3D Modeling programs (Solidworks and Rinhoceros) in order to transform the sketch into a more realistic prototype of the product, so I could have a clearer 3D vision of the model.
Renders and Final Ropet Design
After the 3D modeling process, I developed the product prototype and rendered it to give a clearer sense of how it would look, considering materials, colors, and textures.
The design includes differenty features that help mimic the behavior of a pet, such as:
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Used for taking Ropet on a walk.
It tracks how many times it has been connected and for how long, collecting data in its system.
MAGNETIC LEASH
CHARGING STATION
Works as a resting mode for the product. Ropet tacks its battery level as a reflection of tiredness. When the battery is low, it means Ropet needs to rest.
FEEDING / CLEANING
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These magnetic buttons are used to feed or clean Ropet when placed on the robot. The system tracks how many times they are used.
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WATER TANK
To mimic a pet's physiological needs, Ropet includes a 100ml water tank. It activates while the leash is connected and requires a refill every day.
FACIAL FEATURES
I have designed a set of robot faces that express emotions, which change according to Ropet's mood. These facial expressions help convey the robot’s current state, making it more interactive and emotionally engaging for users.
UI Kit
I created a UI kit in order to ensure consistency by having a uniform look and feel across all the App and for a more efficient design process since it provides reusable components, reducing the need to design elements from scratch each time.
All projects showcased on this portfolio are the exclusive intellectual property of Yael Benhamu. Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution of any content, designs, or materials presented here is strictly prohibited. These works are protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. For permission to use or inquire about any project, please contact me directly.