Iron Social Design · 2025
Pengu Buddy Animal Health Tracking System
- A' Design Award 2025 Iron Winner in Social Design
- Awarded April 15, 2025
- CLIENT: Georgia Aquarium
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 34,659
- Verification code 96043CF0A0 · Verify this award
About Pengu Buddy Animal Health Tracking System
Pengu Buddy is an animal health tracking system designed for a penguin habitat. The system combines an underwater robot with a mobile application. The robot serves as a toy for penguins and encourages activity through games that visitors control from the application. During play, the robot collects visual and acoustic data and sends the data to a dashboard used by keepers for health monitoring. The application also offers educational content about penguins and options to support conservation through donations and gifts.
Yuwei Li's Pengu Buddy Animal Health Tracking System represents a thoughtfully conceived digital platform addressing the intersection of wildlife conservation engagement, educational outreach, and accessible charitable participation through mobile technology. Positioned within the expanding domain of social impact design and conservation technology, this work demonstrates how contemporary user experience design methodologies can be marshaled to lower barriers to conservation involvement, particularly for audiences who may feel disconnected from environmental causes or uncertain about meaningful contribution pathways. The interface architecture reveals sophisticated understanding of progressive disclosure principles and user journey orchestration, guiding participants from initial encounter through educational engagement to concrete action opportunities including symbolic adoption, direct donation, and knowledge acquisition about penguin species, habitats, and conservation challenges. The chromatic strategy proves particularly accomplished, deploying a carefully calibrated palette of oceanic blues that establish immediate thematic association with marine environments while maintaining the clarity and legibility essential to functional interface design; the cool cerulean foundation creates atmospheric unity across disparate screen functions, while strategic deployment of warmer blue accents for primary actions creates clear visual hierarchy guiding user attention toward conversion points without resorting to aggressive contrast or disruptive color intrusion. The penguin mascot character demonstrates notable success in balancing appeal across age demographics—sufficiently stylized to read as friendly and approachable without descending into juvenile treatment that might alienate adult users, rendered with soft three-dimensional modeling that suggests tactile warmth while maintaining the clean aesthetic appropriate to contemporary digital products. The compositional presentation itself, arranging multiple interface states in floating isometric constellation, serves dual documentary and promotional functions: providing comprehensive view of user journey scope and feature breadth while creating visually dynamic artifact suitable for portfolio presentation and design communication contexts. Notable passages of particular accomplishment include the tutorial screen's gestural instruction overlay, which elegantly solves the perennial challenge of teaching swipe interactions through semi-transparent directional cues; the donation amount selection interface, which offers both preset increments and custom input while maintaining visual simplicity; and the characteristic information cards, which package educational content about penguin size, appearance, feathers, and vocalizations in scannable, engaging modules that reward curiosity without overwhelming users. The work appears to explore how digital platforms can transform abstract conservation concerns into concrete, emotionally resonant experiences that feel personally meaningful rather than obligatory, how mascot-driven narrative can serve as accessible entry point to complex environmental topics, and how thoughtfully designed user experiences can convert passive concern into active participation. One might observe how the interface balances educational mission with functional clarity, never allowing informational density to compromise navigational transparency, and how the overall design language projects competence and trustworthiness while maintaining warmth and approachability—a delicate tonal balance essential to platforms requesting financial contribution. As mobile applications increasingly serve as primary interface between institutions and public constituencies, particularly for younger demographics whose civic and charitable engagement occurs predominantly through digital channels, designs such as this suggest possibilities for conservation organizations, aquariums, wildlife sanctuaries, and environmental advocacy groups to cultivate sustained engagement beyond single-visit experiences, extending institutional reach and impact through persistent digital presence that continues education, enables ongoing support, and nurtures long-term connection to conservation missions.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- PenguBuddy is an interactive health data tracking system combining technology and wildlife care. It features an underwater robot that acts as both a playful toy for penguins and a data collection tool for keepers. The companion mobile app lets visitors control the robot, enjoy immersive interactions, access educational content, and support conservation through donations and gifts. This innovative solution drives positive social impact in wildlife conservation and public engagement.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The mobile app interface was designed with iOS guidelines. The underwater robot dimensions: Width 640 mm x Depth 120 mm x Height 500 mm
- Tags
- Animal Computer Interaction, Health Monitoring, Interactive Robot, Penguin Conservation, Education, Visitor Engagement, Mobile App
- Production Technology
- We used Figma and Adobe After Effects to design UI interfaces and also leveraged Rhino to create and render the underwater robot 3D model. Beyond that, we also tested some sensor hardware in the Georgia Institute of Technology ACI Lab.
- Design Challenge
- The central design challenge involved harmonizing penguin welfare with captivating visitor interaction, navigating obstacles such as robot durability, online data processing, and ethical animal engagement. Solutions prioritized two key areas: meticulous material testing and ethical design, ensuring robot safety and scientifically informed movement patterns for responsible monitoring. And user-centric interaction design, featuring an intuitive mobile application with gamification and educational content to transform visitors from passive observers to active participants in penguin welfare.
The first is the rigorous material testing and ethical design. The underwater robot materials were extensively tested for safety and durability. The movement patterns were carefully designed to mimic animals in the African penguin colony and were informed by research scientists to guarantee ethical monitoring practices.
On the other hand, we conducted user-centric interaction design. The mobile application prioritized intuitive controls, catering to a diverse user base. Gamification and educational content were integrated to foster active, empathetic engagement, transitioning visitors from passive observers to active participants in penguin welfare. - Project Duration
- The project started in January 2023 and completed concept phase on February 2024 in Atlanta.
- Operation Flow
- This project connects penguins, visitors, and keepers through an interactive system. Visitors control the robot via the app, creating playful interactions with penguins. The robot collects visual and acoustic data about penguins' activity and sends it to the keeper's dashboard for health monitoring. The app further enriches the visitor experience through educational content and conservation content, facilitating a meaningful connection between human interaction and scientific observation.
- Research
- This research involved multiple research approaches, including field study, 30 hours of observation, 8 interviews with keepers and visitors, and prototype testing with 12 participants. Observation helped us understand interactions between visitors, keepers, and penguins. Interviews revealed pain points and expectations. We explored existing health tracking technologies and developed core design concepts using environment enrichment, robot interaction, and AI data insights. User feedback from prototype testing guided our design improvements.
- Inspiration
- Zoo animals, including penguins, often experience mood and behavior changes due to environmental and habitual shifts, leading to depression, reduced appetite, and decreased activity. However, the existing technology lacks effective data tracking for individual penguins.
The design solution draws inspiration from penguins' natural play behaviors and environmental enrichment strategies. By leveraging interactive robotic technology, we created a system that tracks penguin activity data and fosters engaging interactions between penguins and humans. - Image Credits
- Melody Moore Jackson, Georgia Tech ACI Lab
- Patents
- N/A
Colors of Pengu Buddy Animal Health Tracking System
Get Pengu Buddy Animal Health Tracking System
UX Design for Social Impact and Conservation Technology
We create interactive systems that bridge technology and social good. Our expertise spans user research, interface design, and innovative solutions for wildlife conservation, education, and public engagement. From concept to implementation, we transform complex challenges into intuitive experiences.
G0E9 ShopDesign Interview about Pengu Buddy Animal Health Tracking System
My goal was to create a design that respects both species’ needs, supports animal welfare, and rethinks what “interaction” means beyond the human context. Ultimately, it’s about contributing to a future where technology helps foster coexistence—rather than control—between people and animals.
While the project was commissioned, the inspiration came from our shared mission—to enhance animal welfare through thoughtful, research-driven design. It was an opportunity to apply ACI principles in a real-world setting, bridging academic research with tangible impact.
I was inspired by the opportunity to move beyond traditional interfaces and explore how design can enrich the lives of non-human users—while also educating and engaging the public in more meaningful ways.
"Pengu" references the penguin species we designed for, while "Buddy" reflects the robot’s function as a supportive presence—helping enrich the animal’s environment and facilitating deeper engagement with humans. It’s a name that’s friendly, approachable, and aligned with our mission of promoting empathy through design.
We applied principles from Animal-Computer Interaction (ACI) to ensure that the robot supports the penguins’ behavioral enrichment, while also enabling meaningful engagement for human visitors and caretakers. This dual-user approach challenges traditional design boundaries and highlights how technology can foster empathy, welfare, and coexistence.
We also conducted interviews and field research with penguin caretakers and subject-matter experts at the Georgia Aquarium. Their firsthand knowledge of animal needs, behaviors, and enrichment practices was essential in creating a solution that genuinely served both the animals and the people who care for them.
Our goal was to explore innovation without disrupting the animals' natural behaviors. The robot was designed to be engaging, but not overstimulating—to enrich, not interfere. This approach reflects our belief that technology in ACI should be ethical, respectful, and always grounded in the needs of its non-human users.
We also spent time on-site conducting field observations to better understand the animals' interactions with their environment. These sessions helped us identify design opportunities that would support enrichment without interference.
Additionally, we ran iterative usability tests—with both the caretakers and the penguins—to evaluate the robot’s interaction patterns, movement, and physical presence. These tests allowed us to fine-tune the design to ensure it was safe, engaging, and intuitive for both human and non-human users.
We had to explore and define interaction models from the ground up, experimenting with different robot forms, behaviors, and materials. A major focus was ensuring that the robot was durable enough to withstand pecking or playful attacks from the penguins, without causing harm or fear.
Balancing innovation, safety, and animal-friendly design required extensive prototyping, testing, and iteration. It was both a creative and ethical challenge—but one that made the project especially meaningful.
Our hope was to raise awareness, not just for the project itself, but for the broader potential of Animal-Computer Interaction and the role design can play in supporting interspecies empathy. Recognition from an international audience helps validate this emerging field and encourages more designers to think beyond conventional boundaries.
It was both challenging and rewarding to let go of early assumptions and iterate through uncertainty. This experience strengthened my ability to balance creativity with humility—and taught me that meaningful design often comes from embracing ambiguity and being willing to start over.