ITP Thesis Week 2009
Monday, May 4 - Friday, May 8

Hanimustäv

Aram Chang

Hanimustäv is series of projects that are eliciting my cat Hani's natural behaviors with games for his well-being.

http://aramchang.tumblr.com



I have a five-years-old cat, Hani, and I love him. I buy cat foods, litters and toys for him, but feel like I don't have time to play with Hani thinking that I'm too busy. As my cat grows up and become a full-senior cat now, I find him less energetic than before, more sadly he also gets both mental and physical illness. With my thesis project, Hanimustäv, I pick up the technology available around me to build a toy for my cat, Hani, to have more time playing with him, and am hoping this could improve his health.

Background
Keeping an indoor cat happy as well as healthy means providing more than just good nutrition and regular veterinary care - you must also enrich your kitty's environment. Eliciting a cat's natural behaviors with hunting and foraging games can do wonders for your companion's well-being.
With a little creativity, you can keep your cat stimulated and interested, even in a small apartment and on a limited budget. And the good news is that enrichment research has shown that toys that are removed and then returned after several weeks regain much of their novelty; extend your enrichment budget by rotating your cat's toys regularly.
-- W.R. Shaw / ASPCA Animal Watch - Fall 2002

Audience
Cat owners, Pet lovers, People who raise cat(s) and have to leave them alone while they're not at home. Children who love cats, Pet toy designer

User Scenario
Users first place main game platform which contains five solenoids 'moles' to wherever desired in their home. Then they take the control box that consists of also five colorful buttons to anywhere (the cord extends to up to 10 feet). Press any button to make solenoids plug popping up and down to attract the cat. Once the 'moles' gained the cat's attention, both users and their cats can play together.

Implementation
Hanimustäv consists of five solenoids modules with wooden plug attached on top. Users can play by pressing five buttons that are connected to solenoids. As each solenoid does 'up&down' motions, cats can be attracted by then play with them, too.

Conclusion
Cats can be bored if their owner don't update the toys. Cats tend to response to the movements of something, rather than colors. Some specific sounds can scare cats, so muffling unnecessary sounds is crucial when building a toy with possible 'noisy' materials such as a tin can.