Starshare
Reimagined Starship robots as a peer-to-peer borrowing and rental service to foster connection and accessibility on campus.
Service
Mobile App Design
Date
June 2024
Project Overview
While Starship robots are primarily used for food delivery, my research found limitations in accessibility, reliability, and student engagement. I explored opportunities to make them more integral to campus life and landed on StarShare: a system enabling students to borrow or rent everyday items (textbooks, first-aid kits, supplies) via Starship delivery. This solution reduces time, cost, and friction for busy students, while creating new pathways for human connection.
Key Highlights
Problem: Starships were underutilized beyond food delivery → WHY: Interviews showed students saw them as slow, awkward, and not worth relying on for food; this highlighted the need for new, higher-value use cases.
Process: Conducted secondary research, student interviews, and affinity diagramming → WHY: Research revealed students often lacked affordable, quick access to small items (textbooks, glue sticks, first-aid), making borrowing a natural fit.
Design Choices: Borrowing/rental service with ratings and deposits → WHY: Trust was the biggest barrier; ratings and deposits incentivized accountability while keeping peer-to-peer sharing viable.
Solution: A Starship-enabled campus sharing system → WHY: It reframed robots from “delivery novelty” to “community infrastructure,” extending their presence into daily life.
Impact: Strengthened campus community → WHY: Students could save time, avoid costs, and even reduce waste by renting instead of buying one-off items.
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