Dr. Dorit Donoviel
Executive Director, Translational Research Institute for Space Health
Location: E14-633 Lecture Hall

Join the Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) at the MIT Media Lab for a thought-provoking workshop discussing the pink and squishy parts of spaceflight. Leaders in microgravity human research delve into the intersection of public and private research funds and their impact on science and society. The interactive discussions explore the ethical considerations, benefits, and drawbacks that come with this emerging research model, and the role of humans in its future. What do we owe to future explorers? Don't miss this opportunity to engage with leading experts and contribute to the conversation on one of the most pressing issues of the next space era.

Deloitte
Facilitator: Lars Cromley, Technology Fellow at Deloitte
Location: E14-240

The barriers that prevent companies from seeing their connection to space, and how they can prepare their business to benefit as part of the maturing space ecosystem. Isn’t every company a space company? Maybe they don’t all produce rockets or satellites, but instead rely on GPS to improve logistics or weather data to inform operations. Maybe the cutting-edge consumer electronics they produce are also relevant to emerging space activities. Even tax companies are space companies when they help commercial space service providers navigate global tax requirements. Whether actively focused on space as a business, dependent on the many services space provides, or innovating in ways that can also benefit space systems, every company is a space company.
The trouble is companies often don’t see their connection to space, and consequently unaware of how they can contribute to the ecosystem of space. How can we improve the connection to space? How do we ensure companies aren’t just passively benefitting from space services but actively exploring their role in the ecosystem of space? In this workshop we’ll discuss common barriers and opportunities to ensuring every company sees themselves as a space company. 

MIT SEI
Location: E14-244

Project ICE-MELT addresses the loss of emotional connection between astronauts on deep space missions and their loved ones on Earth. The AI-enabled, time-shifted communication experience increases feelings of connection and mediates the effects of communication lag time (MELT). The time-shifting communication solution helps bridge the gap caused by the 40-minute round-trip latency between Earth and Mars, allowing astronauts to feel connected with their loved ones even in the isolated, confined, and extreme (ICE) conditions of space. The AI, referred to as the "Space Whisperer", facilitates interactive video dialogues that are delivered as experiential memories, helping to maintain strong relationships and contribute to the astronaut's emotional well-being.

Dana Karwas
Harshita Nedunuri
Location: E14-514b

The majority of earth bound Architecture is about building volumes. Architects use volumes to deploy forms that are systems of control into which a person’s body enters. But even the most celebrated architectural volumes tend to present themselves as universal in how they activate the body, thus reducing all of them to neutral architectural experiences. But what is volume? What is its potential for the body in the environment of weightlessness? How do we design for the lived experience of space? It is difficult to design for a volume that we do not have access to or that our bodies do not understand. The sensory feedback and spatial reference frames in the zero gravity environment is something unknown to most people. Is it possible to empower earth-bound people with the expanded consciousness enabled by the overview effect through thoughtful intervention in human reference frames? How can we consider new ways of creating meaning and being to expand spatial accessibility and inverse the current power structures affecting the cyborg-person? 

SciAccess
Corey McClelland
Sherri Wells
Location: E14-6th Floor Silverman Skyline

AstroAccess is hosting a workshop to discuss the advantages of inclusive design in human spaceflight and specific methods/criteria for organizing this work and setting priorities. During the workshop, attendees will learn about AstroAccess' ongoing efforts to explore inclusive design strategies for microgravity environments. The discussion will focus on the benefits of designing for crew members with disabilities, which can improve the overall experience for all crew members. The workshop will cover topics such as system analysis, subsystem prioritization for missions/projects, co-design, and co-creation. Attendees will work with two examples: new interaction models for caution and warning systems, and designs for orientation and navigation in low-visibility scenarios.