A team of undergraduates from the Division of Integrative Systems and Design (ISD) recently tested PANGUAN, a robotic penguin, at Ocean Park. Led by Prof. Ajay JONEJA, Professor Emeritus in ISD, the team developed the robot to explore how a robotic remote presence can support animal care, monitoring, and enrichment. Rather than requiring staff to enter an enclosure for every observation, PANGUAN offers an alternative way to observe and interact with animals remotely. Its penguin-like form also opens up possibilities for providing a form of social presence and enrichment for penguins that are temporarily isolated from their group.

PANGUAN was designed with animal safety in mind, incorporating distance-based obstacle detection and automatic stopping, fall detection, a stable low-center-of-gravity design, and soft exterior materials to help reduce the risk and potential impact of contact with penguins.

During the site evaluation, PANGUAN demonstrated remote operation with real-time video streaming and web-based control. The robot can now be operated in the backup area for enrichment purposes, while Ocean Park staff continue to explore its potential applications.

The field test also highlighted important areas for improvement. The current camera positioning limits penguin-level visibility and the amount of useful monitoring data that can be collected, while the robot’s mobility remains challenging on rougher surfaces. These findings will guide future improvements to its camera positioning, mobility, and potential AI-assisted monitoring capabilities.

Following the evaluation, PANGUAN will remain on site at Ocean Park for staff operation and potential further development and collaboration.

This collaboration highlights how robotics and animal-care expertise can come together to explore new ways of supporting animal welfare. Special thanks to the Ocean Park team for partnering with the ISD student team and supporting the continued development of PANGUAN!