RooBadge
agency
DDBcapabilties
INNOVATION / PRODUCT / PR
client
Volkswagen
with
Nakatomi, University of Melbourne, Wires
year
2024
RooBadge is a revolutionary accessory that transforms the Volkswagen badge into a protective audio shield to deter kangaroos from roads. It comes equipped with an in-car app that uses machine learning to compare the vehicle's GPS coordinates with kangaroo distribution records. The app then creates an audio deterrent specifically engineered to alert the kangaroo species in that location by mixing artificial sounds with meaningful sounds from nature, such as predator howls, bird calls, and warning thumps. When a vehicle enters a kangaroo hotspot, RooBadge automatically activates and emits a focused beam of ultrasound (inaudible to humans) using cutting-edge directional speaker technology, which alerts kangaroos of approaching danger and deters them from the road, making travel safer for drivers and wildlife.