Loading weather data...

WKLRBT

007

mo

020

we

Google Gemini

Dear Nicholas and Team

We are excited about the possibility of bringing a Gemini experience into the physical world.

We do our best work in the complex realms of unexplored technology, building the products that define the future of human-machine interaction. That means moving fast between hardware and software, treating every prototype as a question rather than a demo, and finding real progress even before the brief is fully defined..

With Neuralink, we worked directly with their neuroengineers, starting from the most complex constrained part of the system and designing outward from there. With Nike, it meant expanding a complex technology from a single sketch, building an experience with their hardware that unified it into something whole. Both demanded the same range underneath, moving between electronics, mechanical design, and software without losing the thread between them.

That is the work below.

THE CHALLENGE AHEAD

From Platform to Personality

Most software companies only meet a customer through a screen, so the brand has to work hard to feel human at all. IgnitHQ gets a rare chance to skip that step, letting someone meet the platform in person before they have clicked on anything.

The job is bigger than making Duke look good. It is making Duke feel like the dog he is named after, dependable and attentive, never showing off, always listening for what someone actually needs from him. Not cartoonish, and not a security bot doing laps around the booth either. The distinction you drew on our call, a trusted companion rather than a surveillance drone, is really the whole design brief in one sentence, and we intend to hold onto it through every phase of this work.

When every detail, from form and materials to lighting and behavior, works in harmony, Duke becomes more than a robot. He becomes the personality of the platform.

THE THEMES WE HEARD

The key insights shaping our approach

01

Duke needs to become more than a robot.

Shape Duke's physical presence and personality to express what IgnitHQ stands for: premium, intelligent, approachable, and built for operators. (Image reference: Postmates Delivery Robot by Card79)

02

Great design has to work within real constraints.

03

Every interaction should reinforce the brand.

04

Deliver a Product, Not a Prototype

01

Duke needs to become more than a robot.

Shape Duke's physical presence and personality to express what IgnitHQ stands for: premium, intelligent, approachable, and built for operators. (Image reference: Postmates Delivery Robot by Card79)

02

Great design has to work within real constraints.

03

Every interaction should reinforce the brand.

04

Deliver a Product, Not a Prototype

01

Duke needs to become more than a robot.

Shape Duke's physical presence and personality to express what IgnitHQ stands for: premium, intelligent, approachable, and built for operators. (Image reference: Postmates Delivery Robot by Card79)

02

Great design has to work within real constraints.

03

Every interaction should reinforce the brand.

04

Deliver a Product, Not a Prototype

OUR APPROACH

The principles guiding our design process

OUR APPROACH

The principles guiding our design process

Shape Duke's Character

Duke is more than a robot—it is the physical embodiment of the IgnitHQ brand. We'll explore multiple visual directions to create a distinctive personality that feels approachable, memorable, and unmistakably IgnitHQ.

Design Expression Through Behavior

Through lighting, movement, sound, and interaction, we'll define a behavioral language that makes Duke feel alive—communicating confidence, intelligence, and approachability in every customer interaction.

Ground Every Decision in Reality

Explore ambitious concepts while grounding every decision in the technical realities of the Go2 platform, integration requirements, and production feasibility.

SCOPE

Program overview

Robots are rarely remembered for their appearance alone or their behavior alone. They are remembered when both work together to create a character that feels whole. The Form and Behavior Sprint for Expressive Robotics is Card79's methodology for designing a robot's physical form and behavioral expression as one integrated system. By combining industrial design and interaction design from the very beginning, we develop a personality that not only looks distinctive but behaves in ways that feel intuitive, engaging, and true to the brand.

The program moves across four collaborative phases, from discovery and character definition through concept development, refinement, and a production-ready handoff. Every decision along the way builds toward a robot people instinctively understand, trust, and remember.

the fAB SPRINT PHILOSOPHY

FORM +
BEHAVIOR +
LIGHT +
VOICE +
MOTION
= PERSONALITY

A robot's personality doesn't emerge from its appearance alone. It is shaped by the relationship between form, behavior, light, voice, and motion. When these elements are designed independently, the result often feels disjointed—a friendly shape with mechanical movements, expressive lighting that doesn't match the voice, or behaviors that undermine the character. The FAB Sprint brings these disciplines together from the outset to create a coherent personality that people instinctively understand, trust, and remember.

We design the hardware and software at the intersection of humans and emerging technologies. We bridge the gap between imagination and engineering by partnering with brands to turn ideas into innovations.

IgnitHQ
IgnitHQ

OUR CLIENTS

our work

Selected Robotics Work

From autonomous mobility and warehouse robotics to robot companions, these projects show how we help robotics companies turn technical innovation into products people understand, trust, and adopt.

Miko Kids Robot

Designing playful interactions for a kids learning companion

Miko was designed to make learning feel less like school and more like play. We partnered with the team to design expressive interactions that brought the robot's personality to life—using movement, light, sound, and animation to create an engaging companion that could educate, entertain, and build an emotional connection with children.

User Experience
Product Development
Robotics

Miko Kids Robot

Designing playful interactions for a kids learning companion

Miko was designed to make learning feel less like school and more like play. We partnered with the team to design expressive interactions that brought the robot's personality to life—using movement, light, sound, and animation to create an engaging companion that could educate, entertain, and build an emotional connection with children.

User Experience
Product Development
Robotics

Miko Kids Robot

Designing playful interactions for a kids learning companion

Miko was designed to make learning feel less like school and more like play. We partnered with the team to design expressive interactions that brought the robot's personality to life—using movement, light, sound, and animation to create an engaging companion that could educate, entertain, and build an emotional connection with children.

User Experience
Product Development
Robotics

Postmates

Navigating sidewalks using expressive behaviours

As part of the founding design team behind Postmates' autonomous delivery robot, we helped shape how the robot would be perceived and understood in public spaces. By combining industrial design with human-centered interaction principles, we created a friendly, approachable form that made people feel comfortable sharing the sidewalk while clearly communicating the robot's intentions, ultimately helping establish one of the industry's most recognizable delivery robots.

Industrial Design
User Experience
Product Development
Robotics

Postmates

Navigating sidewalks using expressive behaviours

As part of the founding design team behind Postmates' autonomous delivery robot, we helped shape how the robot would be perceived and understood in public spaces. By combining industrial design with human-centered interaction principles, we created a friendly, approachable form that made people feel comfortable sharing the sidewalk while clearly communicating the robot's intentions, ultimately helping establish one of the industry's most recognizable delivery robots.

Industrial Design
User Experience
Product Development
Robotics

Postmates

Navigating sidewalks using expressive behaviours

As part of the founding design team behind Postmates' autonomous delivery robot, we helped shape how the robot would be perceived and understood in public spaces. By combining industrial design with human-centered interaction principles, we created a friendly, approachable form that made people feel comfortable sharing the sidewalk while clearly communicating the robot's intentions, ultimately helping establish one of the industry's most recognizable delivery robots.

Industrial Design
User Experience
Product Development
Robotics

Nike Amplify

Making robotic feedback feel instinctive

We partnered with Nike to design the visual language for a next-generation wearable exoskeleton, creating expressive LED animations that communicate system status, assistance levels, and user feedback at a glance. To accelerate exploration, we also developed a custom software tool that enabled designers to rapidly prototype, iterate, and test LED behaviors—bridging the gap between interaction design and embedded robotics.

User Experience
Robotics

Nike Amplify

Making robotic feedback feel instinctive

We partnered with Nike to design the visual language for a next-generation wearable exoskeleton, creating expressive LED animations that communicate system status, assistance levels, and user feedback at a glance. To accelerate exploration, we also developed a custom software tool that enabled designers to rapidly prototype, iterate, and test LED behaviors—bridging the gap between interaction design and embedded robotics.

User Experience
Robotics

Nike Amplify

Making robotic feedback feel instinctive

We partnered with Nike to design the visual language for a next-generation wearable exoskeleton, creating expressive LED animations that communicate system status, assistance levels, and user feedback at a glance. To accelerate exploration, we also developed a custom software tool that enabled designers to rapidly prototype, iterate, and test LED behaviors—bridging the gap between interaction design and embedded robotics.

User Experience
Robotics

AV Communication

How Autonomous Systems Communicate with Humans

We led a 10-week engagement to investigate the emerging impact of autonomous vehicles, synthesizing research into a strategic point of view and developing future-focused concepts that illustrated new opportunities for mobility experiences.

Autonomous Vehicles
AI

AV Communication

How Autonomous Systems Communicate with Humans

We led a 10-week engagement to investigate the emerging impact of autonomous vehicles, synthesizing research into a strategic point of view and developing future-focused concepts that illustrated new opportunities for mobility experiences.

Autonomous Vehicles
AI

AV Communication

How Autonomous Systems Communicate with Humans

We led a 10-week engagement to investigate the emerging impact of autonomous vehicles, synthesizing research into a strategic point of view and developing future-focused concepts that illustrated new opportunities for mobility experiences.

Autonomous Vehicles
AI

Client Testimonials

"When working with Card79, the team structured product design ideation in a methodical and user centric approach. Their team was instrumental in helping us evaluate between multiple approaches before aligning on a clear and executable vision. They gave a voice across the wide gamut of stakeholders so that the end result was something to be proud of."

David Hallock - Head of NPI

Client Testimonials

"When working with Card79, the team structured product design ideation in a methodical and user centric approach. Their team was instrumental in helping us evaluate between multiple approaches before aligning on a clear and executable vision. They gave a voice across the wide gamut of stakeholders so that the end result was something to be proud of."

David Hallock - Head of NPI

Client Testimonials

"When working with Card79, the team structured product design ideation in a methodical and user centric approach. Their team was instrumental in helping us evaluate between multiple approaches before aligning on a clear and executable vision. They gave a voice across the wide gamut of stakeholders so that the end result was something to be proud of."

David Hallock - Head of NPI

Our Practice

Experts in Human-Centered Robotics.

We bring together hardware, software, industrial design, interfaces, and human factors to create autonomous systems that people understand, trust, and adopt. From concept through deployment, we help robotics teams transform technical innovation into successful products.

Specialists in Hardware & Software

Our holistic approach ensures every system functions flawlessly across the physical and digital realms.

Specialists in Hardware & Software

Our holistic approach ensures every system functions flawlessly across the physical and digital realms.

Specialists in Hardware & Software

Our holistic approach ensures every system functions flawlessly across the physical and digital realms.

Design for Deployment

We design for real operators, real environments, and the edge cases that determine whether robots succeed outside the lab.

Design for Deployment

We design for real operators, real environments, and the edge cases that determine whether robots succeed outside the lab.

Design for Deployment

We design for real operators, real environments, and the edge cases that determine whether robots succeed outside the lab.

Masters of Complexity

We thrive in the gaps between tight tolerances and regulatory compliance, without sacrificing usability.

Masters of Complexity

We thrive in the gaps between tight tolerances and regulatory compliance, without sacrificing usability.

Masters of Complexity

We thrive in the gaps between tight tolerances and regulatory compliance, without sacrificing usability.

Trust by Design

Every cue—from industrial design to interface behavior—is intentional, helping people understand what a robot is doing and why.

Trust by Design

Every cue—from industrial design to interface behavior—is intentional, helping people understand what a robot is doing and why.

Trust by Design

Every cue—from industrial design to interface behavior—is intentional, helping people understand what a robot is doing and why.

Human Factors for Robotics

We apply ergonomics, cognition, and workflow design to improve safety, efficiency, and long-term adoption.

Human Factors for Robotics

We apply ergonomics, cognition, and workflow design to improve safety, efficiency, and long-term adoption.

Human Factors for Robotics

We apply ergonomics, cognition, and workflow design to improve safety, efficiency, and long-term adoption.

Collaborative to the Core

We build teams with industry experts to co-create solutions that balance performance and delight.

Collaborative to the Core

We build teams with industry experts to co-create solutions that balance performance and delight.

Collaborative to the Core

We build teams with industry experts to co-create solutions that balance performance and delight.

Work With Us

If you’re looking to collaborate on a project, develop innovative human-machine interfaces, or bring a concept to life—let’s talk.

Join the Team

If you thrive on solving complex problems, designing at the intersection of hardware and software, and pushing boundaries—email us.

Office

3435 Cesar Chavez St,
San Francisco

Let’s Build the Future Together

© 2025 Card79. All rights reserved.

Terms of service

Privacy Policy

Work With Us

If you’re looking to collaborate on a project, develop innovative human-machine interfaces, or bring a concept to life—let’s talk.

Join the Team

If you thrive on solving complex problems, designing at the intersection of hardware and software, and pushing boundaries—email us.

Office

3435 Cesar Chavez St,
San Francisco

Let’s Build the Future Together

© 2025 Card79. All rights reserved.

Terms of service

Privacy Policy

Work With Us

If you’re looking to collaborate on a project, develop innovative human-machine interfaces, or bring a concept to life—let’s talk.

Join the Team

If you thrive on solving complex problems, designing at the intersection of hardware and software, and pushing boundaries—email us.

Office

3435 Cesar Chavez St,
San Francisco

Let’s Build the Future Together

© 2025 Card79. All rights reserved.

Terms of service

Privacy Policy