Lapo: Your skating buddy
Lapo is a robotic training companion designed to make skateboarding practice more engaging and accessible. The system combines a physical robot with a companion app, transforming training drills into playful, customizable experiences while giving beginners a tangible companion to interact with.
YEAR
2023
TYPE
The challenge
Skaters often rely on improvised tools, which make training repetitive and imprecise. The challenge was to design a solution that retains the playful spirit of skating while adding precision and customization. To guide the direction, interviews with amateur skaters and skating schools were conducted, uncovering their routines, frustrations, and expectations.
My contribution
I designed Lapo’s form and behaviour, as well as the companion app for selecting training modes, controlling the robot and managing its interactions. I prototyped the entire system through 3D printing and Arduino, iterating on the robot’s physical design, interactions and behaviours. This allowed me to bridge physical and digital design, refining how the two work together as a single experience.
Outcome
Lapo was selected for the ADI Design Index 2024, received the Design Excellence 2024 award and was registered as a utility model patent. Beyond the recognition, the project demonstrated how physical computing and interaction design can transform a repetitive activity into a more engaging and customizable experience.