Following last week’s feedback I’m focussing on showing the VR application as an extra stage of the adoption process. The text opposite is the process of adoption through the Dogs Trust, from their website.

I’ll be looking into the ideal stage to include the ‘virtual dog’.

1.

Very good project solution to develop. However, this shouldn’t be pitched as a ‘Tamagotchi’ pet for adults, this completely undervalues its potential. Give it real-world, tangible, reasoning. ‘Adopt a pet’ could be a clear focus. Visually map out of process. How would this potentially involve other organisations, e.g., Dog Trust, etc.

Could this work on across multiple platforms, AR + VR + In-app alerts, alarms, messages etc. Demonstrate how this would work as part of the process of homing a dog.

Haptic responses from the VR. How does the headset compensate / become inclusive for accessibility needs?

Response

I would suggest it as a stage in the rehoming process for Dogs Trust (or similar), by adding this stage the aim is to give potential new owners a ‘trial run’ with their pet.

During the adoption process a stage where you build up a ‘type’ of dog by age, size, it’s behaviour around children and other dogs, etc., which could be integrated with a system where this criteria would match with data about the dogs which are currently held in the kennels.

The application is then set up within the VR to replicate whichever dog is chosen, along with an app for smartphones linking the headset with the behaviour via the app.

In-app alerts will notify the users of any needs from their virtual pet at random times of the day or night.

2.

I think that leaning into the ideas that were being shared in the crit might benefit this project a lot. It’s a fun idea but in it’s current form it didn’t stand up to much scrutiny.

Rather than thinking of it as a tool for people to judge whether a dog is good for their home, I’d think of it as a set of tools that dog charities could use to assess the suitability of the humans for the dog. There were some good ideas shared that I think are worth incorporating to the doggie AR – especially the idea of a dog bark that goes off at random intervals, maybe some kind of app that tracks you going for a walk as if you were taking the dog for a walk to track over a period of time whether you put in the effort to go for the walk every 2 days or whatever.

Nice idea though mate, good work so far.

Response

I like the idea of the noise being the barking noise of a dog, rather than the familiar ‘ping’ sound from a smartphone. The settings from the start of the process would ascertain the type of barking noise; a deep ‘woof’ or a hi-pitched yapping, depending on the profile built in the rehoming centre.

3.

Is this a stepping stone to fostering, then adoption?

A way for parents to gauge a child’s responsibility level?

Should probably be AR, not VR

Make it a multi-step process of which you are designing one step?

Use the headset as part of the completion of a task?

Response

It would be a stepping stone added to an existing process.

I like the idea of it being a way for children to realise the responsibility of ownership. Children might pester parents for a puppy without realising what’s involved. Being seen in public with an AR headset might appeal more to children than adults.

A VR approach would allow adults to take part in the privacy of their own home, an AR approach would add the pet to your own environment rather than a virtual world but working via the smartphone might be a more acceptable device for an adult.

Yes, a step in the process.

AR + adult + outside may not fit together.
VR + adult + virtual world within a headset might be preferable.

Pro’s and con’s for each approach, maybe the potential owners get to choose or the pet becomes AR when in need of a walk?

4.

Can see kids using this as a game but it would be good if this was used by animal shelters. Could be a preliminary step in fostering, a way of dealing with initial queries. Can’t imagine it would completely stop people returning animals as reasons are probably subjective but would reduce the problem. If there were set tasks like take dog for a walk, it would be good if these could be recorded and the animal shelter could access them – make sure people don’t lie about their viability.

Response

I like the idea of it being angled as the shelter assessing the people rather than the people trying out a pretend dog to see if they like it, it might take away any view towards being a game.

5.

Seems like you now need to map out the rest of the service around the VR headset (I also wonder if you could rent the headset from the place you’re thinking about getting the dog from). Could you make it a test, which you have to pass before you can adopt a dog, to make sure all owners are prepared for it?

Response

The headset would be supplied by the shelter for the purpose of the exercise. Making it a test would give it a serious-ness.

ROV-AR still works?

Just exaggerate in Queen’s English when you say it…