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Sensponsive design as a tool to address human comfort in habitable spacecraft modules

Ouggrinis Konstantinos-Alketas, Liapi Marianthi, Linaraki Despoina, Mairopoulos Dimitris, Voradaki G.

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Summary

The paper presents an on-going research project that focuses on a human-centered design approach to habitable spacecraft modules. The objective is to plan for the spatial, physiological and psychological needs of the people living and working in such confined spaces that entail long-term environmental threats to human health and performance. The approach focuses mainly on the relationship between the built environment and its users rather than on the building type itself. In other words, it takes for granted the creation of a safe, functional structure and focuses on the interior, artificially supported environment targeting people's bodily and psychological comfort as a measure toward a successful mission. Our research is guided through two parallel directions. The First one examines the relationship between specific spatial features and their effect on human psychology. We have identified the connections between neuroscience, human behavior and space by focusing upon the ways in which stimulants from the artificial environment affect the senses and consequently induce hormonal changes and corresponding emotions. In this way we can affect human psychology to maintain a sense of comfort and reduce stress and seclusion-related disorders. The second direction studies the technical requirements of an interior space that is programmed to sense human discomfort, by monitoring changes in facial expression and body movement, and respond accordingly with the manifestation of certain spatial stimulants. The most efficient design medium to achieve such a goal is a flexible, transformable, technology-mediated architecture where sensponsive systems can be seamlessly incorporated into an environment that is already dependent on mechanical and chemical support systems. 'Sensponsive' is a certain path of responsive design where the integration of sensor-actuator assemblies, biomedical monitoring systems and smart materials in the interior environment can help identify the emotional state of people in the context of their activity and enable an appropriate response that has a beneficial effect to them. While responsive environments rely only on an instant reaction, sensponsive ones analyze the situation and create a database of "behavioral" decisions, through a neuro-fuzzy programming approach. We have tested the two paths individually, establishing the spatial ability to affect the emotional state and setting up a working sensponsive system that exhibits adaptability, character and behavior. Concluding we believe that such an approach is viable and can significantly facilitate space missions of the near future. ©(2012) by the International Astronautieal Federation.

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