Mobility Assistance Dog Buttons

We were approached by Open University's Animal Computer Interaction Labs to help develop a range of mechanical push buttons to be used by mobility assistance dogs in public spaces and also home environments.

The project involved working closely with the ACI team to develop the technology and CAD for the buttons. The final devices were split into two versions - a battery-powered wireless smart button for use in the home, and a wired version for use in public spaces. We created 3 iterations of the devices with feedback from animal user testing, adapting the buttons' feel and functionality to be better-suited for the assistance dogs. We fabricated and deployed over 100 devices, including the PCB assembly, 3D printing and mechanical assembly. The devices are currently being used in a selection of homes and public spaces across the UK.

The buttons included a custom PCB with wireless capabilities. The circuit board also featured power saving circuitry that allowed the device to only consume power when the button is pressed, extending the battery life. Each wireless device is paired to a custom wireless-controlled wall plug, which was updated with custom firmware to allow the button to connect directly with the plug. This simplified the setup for the end users, allowing them to pair a device with a plug effortlessly.

Credits

ACI Labs, Open University - Academic institution, third implementation testing and deployment Luisa Ruge - Interaction design, user testing, user photos