Bark! Dog Well-Being System
Initial Thoughts:
The core of this project is to improve health for dogs so they have a greater quality of life. My initial thoughts were to create a product that’s sole purpose was to exercise the dog physically, but discussions with canine behaviourists and vets helped me realise that the needs of the dogs were more complex. So I dug in to the issues further to find the underlying issues.
Sources: Accredited Animal (Canine) Behaviourists, University Lecturers for Animal Behaviour, Veterinary Practitioners, RSPCA Workers, Pet Owners, Research Papers
Dog Needs & Owner Needs
The needs of dog can be broken down in to four main areas: Mental, Social, Environmental and Physical. For dogs to have the best possible quality of life, owners need to be aware of these needs and have the means to fulfil them. Owners have a different set of needs from this product, as much as they want to put the needs of their pet first, uptake and enthusiasm for engagement will depend on how easily it can integrate in to their daily routine.
Developing a Solution
CMF Inspiration
Soft • Friendly • Natural Materials • Light Aesthetic • Simple Details • Colour Highlights
Sketching Hub Concepts
Prototyping
Taking the sketches to physical prototypes primarily using CNC milling and 3D printing. This allowed for testing of scale, functionality and fit of parts. The final hub prototype also used Arduino programming for the LEDs.
Realisation - Home Hub
Activity Monitor sits inside the hub for charging. Bark! logo illuminates white as standard, with alternate colour options showing relating to different registered dogs. Soft forms are combined with a geometric texture to create a visually distinctive Hub that sits within the family of Bark! products.
Realisation - Dog Monitor
Monitor Features:
• Sealed using rubber O-rings for water resistance • PCB contains Bluetooth and Accelerometer for data capture • Rechargeable Li-ion battery with waterproof charging connectors • Compact to fit to a range of dogs.
Realisation - Toys
iPhone Application
The design of the smartphone application was done using Adobe Illustrator CC. It is based around iOS 8 features and aesthetics, so a template and style could be created to be used across all the App pages. The Apps’ features include:
• Daily activity feedback and suggestions
• Weekly and Monthly views
• Export for Vets/behaviourists
• Food input and advice
• Bark! Social Feed
• Owner and Dog detail input
• Manual Toy, walk, training and social input
• Bark! Shop
