ANA TOPOLE

Work / Industrial design

Lumo, Collar and app

Decode the bond.

Project Details

Category
Industrial design
Discipline
Industrial design, design for pets, 3D modelling, service design, UI design, UX design
Team
Individual project

Lumo is a product-service system that pairs a wearable collar with an app that turns measured data into guidance for training and shared care.

A grey Weimaraner in profile against a pale wall, wearing the Lumo collar, a terracotta woven strap

Context

Many dogs struggle to cope with being alone.

Modern lifestyles often keep dog owners away from home for long hours. Stress, separation anxiety and destructive behaviour are common results, and owners often don’t notice these signals in time or misread them. Meanwhile, the people who share the care, such as vets, walkers, trainers and sitters, each see only part of the picture.

Lumo is a product-service system that puts the dog’s wellbeing first and helps owners understand what their dog is feeling.

3D render of the Lumo collar beside a phone showing the Care screen, where the owner chooses what a vet, a dog walker and a behaviourist can see
Two connected partsA collar that measures, and an app that turns the measurements into guidance for training and shared care.

Research

Grounded in extensive design research.

The research followed the Double Diamond methodology. The designer analysed existing products and mapped everyone involved in a dog’s care. She conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with owners from different types of households and with dogs of very different backgrounds, as well as with a pet shop owner and a dog trainer.

She also carried out a service safari in urban and rural settings, experiencing the owners’ everyday routines first-hand. The insights became the foundation for the concepts, prototypes and final design of Lumo.

90

insights, synthesised from the research

6

innovation guidelines and design opportunities, focused on gradual habituation, stress relief and connecting the people who care for the dog

Stakeholder map in three rings: dogs and dog owners at the centre; pet shops, dog walkers, family members, veterinarians, dog trainers, groomers, daycares, breeders, shelters and former owners around them; employers, neighbours, urban planners and legislation on the outside
Everyone around the dogThe stakeholder map: key, important and indirect stakeholders in a dog’s care.

Collar

Worn all day, in any weather.

The first part of the system is a dog collar made of a woven nylon strap with an adjustable fit. It is waterproof, light and easy to clean, so the dog can wear it all day in any weather.

  • MeasuresHeart rate, heart rate variability, movement, location and rest patterns
  • StrapWoven nylon with an adjustable fit
  • ChargingMagnetic cable
  • RepairIts parts can be separated and replaced, so the collar is easy to repair and upgrade, and its materials can be sorted at the end of its life
3D render of the closed collar from the front, the dark red loop holding the woven strap
3D model of the collar.
3D render of the collar from behind, showing the adjustment holes and the loop
Adjusting the width.

App

From measurements to guidance.

The second part is the Lumo app, which turns the measurements into clear visuals and practical guidance. Instead of giving a diagnosis, the app estimates how likely anxiety is and suggests calming options.

Every caregiver works from the same dog profile, with its habits and instructions, so the dog’s routine stays predictable no matter who is looking after it.

  • TodaySums up the dog’s day and highlights any unusual moments
  • Away modeGuides gradual alone-time training at a pace set by the dog’s reactions. It can also link to the smart home, for example to play a calming playlist
  • InsightsTracks progress over time
  • CareOwners decide exactly what each vet, walker or trainer can see, and they can find a sitter and send a request directly in the app
Four app screens: Away mode with a comfort routine, Insights with the dog’s average settling time, Care with sharing settings for a vet, a dog walker and a behaviourist, and Sitting with three available sitters
Away mode, Insights, Care and finding a sitter.
A walk through the app, from connecting the collar to sending a sitting request.
Seven tilted phones showing the Lumo app: sign-up, connecting the collar, Today, Away mode, Insights, Care and Sitting
The Lumo app.
The Lumo packaging from above: a white mailer box printed with the terracotta Lumo logo, the line Decode the Bond. and a black dog looking up from its lower edge, beside a kraft paper bag
The Lumo packaging.
A man in an olive hoodie and a beanie lifts a long-haired dachshund that wears the terracotta Lumo collar, its ears flying up
Not a surveillance toolLumo avoids alarming notifications and doesn’t encourage constant checking. It alerts the owner only when a response would actually help the dog. The result is a calmer dog, a more confident owner and a connected circle of care built on trust.