Street Robotic redesign

Increase product acceptance through design.

7 weeks/ team members: Andrea Pražienková/ Lotte Rahbek
my contribution: modelling/ CMF/ workshops/ brand design

We’re encountering OUT-OF-TECH problems!

Capra Robotics is a deep-tech company based in Denmark, founded in 2017. It focuses on developing multifunctional mobile robot platforms, widely used in logistics, urban maintenance, and patrols.
Its flagship product, the CAPRA CARRIER, is a unique mobile robot that features an innovative wheeled frame, capable of moving effortlessly in both indoor and outdoor environments while handling loads up to 500 kg.

However, Capra’s current urban robots struggled to gain public acceptance due to their lack of pedestrian-friendly design and functionality in shared public spaces.

“We wish Robots are seen from a perspective of being designed to ‘’co-exist with people’’
‘’We want our robot to be an intuitively recognizable intention marker’’
—— Head Engineer of Capra

RESEARCH

The research covered different age groups or occupations of the citizens and used different methods suitable for these groups.

Define the objectives.

After conducting a series of qualitative and quantitative analyses, we concluded that the objective of this project is to create a design language that clearly signals the robots’ intentions. This “intention marker” helps pedestrians understand the robots’ movements, improving interaction and integration within the social dynamics of sidewalks. The ultimate goal is to enhance the robots’ usability and their acceptance in urban environments.

Findings

What are people ask for:

SOLUTION

A three-part design was undertaken to achieve the objectives.

Appearance Redesign
make robots more visually appealing and accessible to pedestrians. This includes improving the robot’s form, CMF, and interactions to better integrate it into public spaces.

Information design
The information design consists of three parts: the robot’s screen interface, turn signal design, and outdoor information display. This helps pedestrians easily understand the robot’s movement and path, building trust in road robots. Additionally, the screen and outdoor information serve as brand marketing tools, increasing Capra Robotics’ visibility in the market.

Brand Identity Framework
A framework was developed to define the robots’ design language, aligning brand values with future product strategies. This ensures consistency across all design elements and sets a foundation for continued product evolution.

APPEARANCE

INFORMATION DESIGN

Screen Interface

These three information enable passers-by to intuitively understand the Capra robot’s function and direction of travel.

“Key information at your fingertips.”

Turning Signals

In our research, many pedestrians felt unsure about where the robots were going, which made them hesitant. By adding face-like turn signals, our design makes turning clearer, so people can easily see the robots’ direction.

Outdoor

We designed new poster and ground stickers to improve communication in public spaces. The ground stickers indicate where robots will stop, helping pedestrians anticipate their movements, while the posters enhance visual communication, making interactions smoother and safer.

Brand Identity Framework

Write at the end.

Very interesting experience. The engineers at the tech company were very direct in their speech, which made our communication very efficient. I hope we helped them.