Abstract:

​

  In order to establish a permanent human presence beyond the Earth’s surface, psychological problems of prolonged human spaceflight need serious consideration. Immersive experiences have long been used for therapeutic as well as training purposes which inspired the design of the Astropod. AstroPod is a pod designed for virtual reality experiences for astronauts in prolonged
spaceflight missions. Unlike head-mounted displays (HMD) which can cause disorientation and nausea on prolonged usage, the projector-based system of Astropod is much less strenuous to the eye. AstroPod aims to enhance astronauts' mental health and wellbeing during long-duration deep space missions. This pod can be occupied by one or two people at a time. During individual use, this could act as a private space for the user to have a restorative, immersive space, whereas when two users are in occupancy, Astropod could foster team-building through a shared interactive immersive experience. With the use of biosignal inputs from sensors, AstroPod could track the mood of the user and create projector-based audiovisual outputs to create customized virtual reality experiences. Due to the multiplicity of use by design, Astropod could be used for different functions such as recreation, exercising, immersive dining, etc. When not in use, it could either be stowed away freeing up the habitable volume or it could also be used as a sleeping cocoon in microgravity.