Designers
Sebastian Aumer, Heinrich Zaunschirm, Dijie Lian, Daniel Dürr, Vincent Weckert
Year
2026
Category
Product
Country
Germany
Design Studio / Department
Design Team Munich
Three questions to the project team
What was the particular challenge of the project from a UX point of view?
Designing a product with a human form factor and interactions involves challenges across multiple disciplines, including technology, design, psychology, human behavior, and social interactions. The biggest challenge is overcoming the "uncanny valley," which describes the dip in emotional comfort people often feel when encountering a robot or digital figure that looks almost, but not quite, human. The team deliberately focused on interaction, emphasizing facial expressions, gestures, and speech to create a more natural and approachable experience. The human form factor and the experiences surrounding it have been studied and are well known throughout history. Every UX design decision needed to be carefully cross-checked and iterated.
What was your personal highlight in the development process? Was there an aha!-moment, was there a low point?
The first time the team saw it arrive in a box gave them goosebumps. Its first walking steps were shaky but still mind-blowing, which was a definite "aha" moment for the team. This kind of product will require continuous development, as what we are seeing now is a technology in its early phase. Everyone needs to appreciate the enormous amount of development that goes into this fully connected system. Hardware, software, and user experience need to work in perfect symbiosis. Throughout the project, the team was often asked why the machine is shaped like a human. The answer is simple: our world is designed for the human form factor. A humanoid can be seamlessly integrated. A well-designed human form factor is instantly accepted as a true companion, not just as a machine.
Where do you see yourself and the project in the next five years?
In 5 years we will not discuss the technology or product anymore - we will discuss laws, ethics and regulations how to harmonically integrate these products into our daily lifes and societies. I see Designers working and focusing on the systems, behaviours and experiences around the humanoids. What does it mean to invite a robot into your home? What does it mean to purchase public services from a robot? The design challenges that come with this kind of product are complete new territory and very exciting.
