Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Graduates
Jessica Che
BS in Product Design — Product DesignCourse:
Intro to digital wearable
Faculty:
Hojin In
Term:
2023 Spring
Milo
A companion robot designed for international students who long for the comfort of a pet but face living restrictions. It offers emotional support through gentle interactions, responds to your mood, and encourages a healthy daily routine, like regular meals, sleep, and mindfulness, helping you feel grounded, connected, and cared for, even far from home.
Process:
I started this project by researching the emotional challenges international students face, especially homesickness and wanting the comfort of a pet while living in housing with restrictions. After talking to students and mapping out their daily routines, I identified key goals like providing warmth, gentle interaction, and support for healthy habits. I sketched approachable forms and made quick mockups to explore size, feel, and behavior, then moved into modeling and rendering to refine the details and bring the companion robot to life.
Learning Outcomes:
Through this project, I learned how to translate emotional research into clear design decisions and strengthened my ability to create comforting products. I improved my storytelling skills by learning how to express user emotions, routines, and needs through form, behavior, and interaction. I also gained practical technical skills, especially learning how to use CLO for soft-goods and bag design, which helped me prototype shapes, seams, and materials more accurately.
Project Website: