"Whack-a-Mole"
Cat Toy
Human-Pet Shared Interactive Toy
Overview
The cat toy aims to satisfy both the play needs of cats and the entertainment desires of their human companions.
By incorporating the popular “Whack-a-Mole” game mechanism, it attracts cats to engage in play while providing humans with the opportunity to enjoy the game and interact socially through the connected platform.
The toy fosters an environment where both human and cat can enjoy each other’s company through a shared, fun experience.
Research: Market Insights on Cat Toys
Market Limitations & Unmet Needs
Many cat toys today focus on “human-entertains-cat”, where humans derive amusement from observing their cats. However, the interaction is one-sided, and the human rarely enjoys the game itself. This results in reduced intimacy between human and cat. This new product aims to address this gap by enhancing the enjoyment for both parties, allowing humans to enjoy the game while playing with their cats, increasing shared time and interaction.
Building on existing electric "Whack-a-Mole" toys, this design integrates a button that allows humans to actively participate in the game. During the one-minute round, humans must focus on pressing their button while encouraging their cats to strike the moles. A social platform enhances the human’s involvement by introducing competitive elements and scores.
Common Cat Toy Categories
Hunting Toys: Mimic the appearance or behavior of small animals (birds, mice), encouraging natural hunting instincts (e.g., cat wands, laser pointers, plush toys).
Emerging Cat Toy Innovations
Smart Interactive Toys: Toys like motorized balls or remote-controlled mice that move autonomously, triggering the cat's hunting behavior.
Whack-a-Mole Cat Toy: Available in both battery-powered and manual versions, the toy features “moles” that pop up randomly. The battery-powered version operates autonomously, while the manual version requires human control to guide the cat’s play.
Intelligence Toys: Typically involve hidden treats, requiring cats to solve puzzles to access food (e.g., food mazes, treat balls).
Comfort Toys: Include toys with catnip, bells, etc., designed for soothing.
Exploration Toys: Include tunnels or other structures to satisfy the cat's curiosity.
Cat Furniture Integration: Combining furniture with toys to save space while offering dual functionality—both as a toy and a piece of furniture for human-pet shared use.
Cat Intelligence Food Maze: Uses food hiding techniques to engage the cat’s cognitive abilities.
Cat Intelligence Food Maze: Uses food hiding techniques to engage the cat’s cognitive abilities.
(7)Social Interaction:
The toy syncs with a mobile app to track the cat's hits within one minute, and upload videos to the social platform for ranking.
Users can engage in daily check-ins, accumulating points that contribute to a leaderboard based on the number of consecutive days of activity.
(4)Mode Selection:
The toy offers both Online and Offline modes. A three-level switch on the tail controls power, offline play, and online functionality that requires a mobile app.
1. Appearance & Functionality
Toy Description
(1)Toy Design:
The toy is designed in the shape of a fish, with separate zones for cat play and human interaction. It is made from environmentally friendly ABS resin, with a 360-degree camera located at the top of the toy.
(2)Whack-a-Mole Mechanism:
The top and three layers of the toy feature "moles" that emerge from different holes. Each mole has a unique texture and shape to attract the cat’s attention.
The top layer features a realistic insect toy.
The middle layer has feathers.
The bottom layer presents a wooden ball infused with catnip.
The toys extend via silicone connectors, allowing for easy replacement.
(3)Sensors & Feedback:
Built-in sensors trigger a sound when a cat successfully hits a mole, providing instant feedback.
(5)Online Mode Features:
The 360-degree camera records the cat’s play as the toy activates a one-minute timer.
After gameplay, users can download and save the video. If the score qualifies, videos can be uploaded to a leaderboard.
(6)Human participation is required through a button, which can be randomly triggered during play. Pressing the button rewards additional points.
(1)Gameplay Mechanics:
The cat has 45 opportunities to hit moles within one minute.
The human player has 10 opportunities to press the button.
(2)Points Allocation:
For each successful cat hit, the cat scores 1 point.
A consecutive hit adds 5 points per subsequent strike.
For each successful human hit, the player earns 5 points, with 7 bonus points added for consecutive hits.
(3)Total Scoring:
The combined score of both the cat and human contributes to the final total.
The theoretical highest score is 378 points, used to determine rankings.
Scoring System
Gameplay Flow
Personal Settings:
Input details about their cat.
Set daily reminders.
Adjust language preferences.
Demonstration Link: https://www.figma.com/proto/YR9L9x1LID0HPhY3tPYter/cat-toy?node-id=0-1&t=0DXy4Mo7qqZ0PB55-1
Leaderboard:
The app features a leaderboard section, with daily, weekly, and streak-based rankings.
Users can view other users’ scores and videos.
Score Display:
After the countdown, the app shows the final score.
If the score ranks on the leaderboard, the user can upload the video.
Setup:
Turn on the toy and set it to Human-Pet Shared Mode.
Open the app, click "Start," and the countdown begins for 60 seconds. The toy activates, and gameplay ensues.
UI/UX Design
