FURBIT
A smart pet collar designed to deepen the bond between pets and their owners
4 months (2024)UI/UX DesignerMy Role
Timeline
✧ Challenge
For busy pet owners who travel often, one of the biggest challenges is worrying about their dog’s health, safety, and loneliness while they’re away.
They need a solution that keeps them connected and reassured, even with a demanding schedule.
✧ Understanding User’s Perspective
Pet owners experience separation anxiety and struggle to stay emotionally connected with their pets when away.
• Separation & Emotional Connection
• Safety Concerns
Owners worry about their pet’s safety, especially when they roam freely or are in unfamiliar areas.
• Health & Wellness Monitoring
Owners often can’t monitor their pet’s health, leading to missed signs of illness or stress.
✧ Why do this happen?
• Busy Lifestyle
→ Hectic schedules & Long hours of work
→ Pets cannot speak or communicate their feelings directly.
→ Lack of real-time interaction or understanding of what the pet is feeling.
• Lack of Communication
• Absence of Emotional Bonding Tools
→ Lacks tools that allow owners to stay emotionally engaged with the pets in real-time.
✧ Rerearches
Separation anxiety isn’t just a human struggle
Studies show it’s one of the most common conditions in pets, especially dogs.
Over half of pet owners admit they feel guilty leaving their pets home alone.
A study by the Pet Health Council found that 52% struggle with this daily worry.
Pets aren’t just companions—they’re family.
A study in Anthrozoös highlights the strong emotional bond between owners and their pets, showing just how deeply pets are woven into our lives.
✧ How Might We
How might we help pet owners maintain strong bonds with their pets while away, ensuring their pets stay safe and happy?
✧ What We Aim to Achieve
✧ Furbit Solutions
✴︎ Feature 1: Translation
The live call and translation feature brings pets and owners closer than ever.
Through voice or video calls transmitted via the collar, users can give commands, see their pet’s responses translated, and enjoy interactive activities like fetch or playful cues—making connection effortless, even for busy schedules.
✴︎ Feature 2: Safe Zone
With real-time GPS tracking and customizable safe zones, owners can monitor their pets wherever they go
If a pet leaves the designated area, instant alerts provide peace of mind—perfect for pets that love to roam.
✴︎ Feature 3: Health Monitoring
The Daily Activity and Health Report keeps owners in the loop on their pet’s well-being.
By tracking activity, sleep, and health metrics, it provides actionable insights into exercise, calorie burn, and overall fitness—helping owners make informed care decisions effortlessly.
✧ Style Guide
✧ Design Iteration
✧ Prototype
✴︎ What I learned
Designing Furbit meant balancing emotional connection
with practical functionality.
The goal was to create intuitive, seamless interactions that fit busy pet owners’ lifestyles while delivering meaningful health and safety insights. Grounded in user empathy, the design fosters trust and reassurance, and iterative testing highlighted the importance of simplicity for quick, effortless communication between owners and their pets.