One of my dogs is a Great Pyrenees who weighs nearly 100 pounds. I know this because at the vet, you have to muscle her onto a scale that she really doesn't want to get on. If I ran a veterinary practice, I'd design a portion of the floor so that a scale could be inserted into it, flush with the hardwood.

I've never thought about weighing other animals, until I saw this project. How do you weigh a bird? No wild bird likes being handled, and if you do manage to keep their wings shut and hold them onto a scale, the weight of your hands would throw the number off. This PerchCare concept, by South Korean industrial designers Hanung Lee, Hyeokwoo Kwon, Minji Kim, Yoonji Choi, aims to make the task easier.

"PerchCare is a smart perch developed to support the rehabilitation of rescued wild birds. At first glance, it looks like an ordinary object. But inside, it holds a weight measurement system designed to monitor a bird's health without disturbing it."

"In bird rehabilitation, weight is a key health indicator. A drop can signal malnourishment or illness. A steady increase often means the bird is healing. But getting that data has traditionally required handlers to physically weigh each bird—an act that causes stress and can slow recovery. PerchCare rethinks the process entirely."

"Placed inside the bird's enclosure, the perch acts as both a resting spot and a scale. As the bird naturally perches, its weight is recorded and transmitted to caregivers in real-time. There's no need for physical intervention, no added stress, and no break in routine."

"This approach brings clear benefits. For birds: Less handling, lower stress, better recovery outcomes. For caregivers: Reduced workload, improved safety, and constant access to health data."

"What makes PerchCare notable is not just the technology, but the way it blends into the caregiving environment. It doesn't demand attention. It respects the bird's space. It improves care by becoming part of the background."

"In a field where functionality often overshadows empathy, PerchCare balances both. It shows how thoughtful design can create small shifts with lasting impact—for animals, for people, and for the systems we build around care."