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More Close
Archived
Project Research

FLAPS: Folded Lightweight Actuated Positioning System for CubeSat Deployables

Mechanical actuators for deployable systems on satellites are often complex, expensive, only designed for a single use, and too large or ...

in Space Exploration Initiative
#space #technology #zero gravity
Archived
Archived
Project Research

ELI: Electronic Life-detection Instrument

Life on Mars, if it exists, could have been transferred between Earth and Mars due to meteorite impacts. The Search for Extra-Terrestrial...

in Space Exploration Initiative
#space #technology #zero gravity
Archived
Archived
Project Research

Microgravity Rowing

In microgravity, the removal of constant loading on the skeleton leads to loss of bone density and muscle mass. In order to counteract th...

in Space Exploration Initiative
#space #technology #zero gravity
Archived
Project Research

Orbit Weaver Suit

​​​​​​​​​The Orbit Weaver Suit for zero gravity was designed by Media Lab Director's Fellow Andrea Lauer in collaboration with ...

in Space Exploration Initiative · Director's Fellows
Andrea Lauer · Xin Liu
#design #art #fashion +3 more
Project Research

Moon Village

In 2015, the director general of the European Space Agency (ESA), Jan Wörner, introduced the concept of the “Moon Village.” Inspired by t...

in Responsive Environments · Space Exploration Initiative
Valentina Sumini · Joseph A. Paradiso
#design #architecture #construction +1 more
Post Research

Zero Gravity Flight 2019

This mission included participation from several departments at MIT and outside collaborators from across the globe.

Aug. 13, 2019
in Space Exploration Initiative
#robotics #design #human-computer interaction +6 more
Project Research

Persian Domes for Human Space Exploration on Mars

The Lut Desert of Iran is one of the most similar regions to Mars. Close to that area, there are vernacular adobe architectures that are ...

in Responsive Environments · Space Exploration Initiative
Valentina Sumini · Joseph A. Paradiso
#design #architecture #construction +1 more
Article Research

Sustainability rating for space could help keep junk out of the sky

Danielle Wood discusses the satellite technology research and other work underway in her Space Enabled research group.

via Living Lab Radio on WCAI · Nov. 5, 2019
in Space Enabled
#economy #environment #space +1 more
Article Research

Designs on the sky

Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellow Prathima Muniyappa uses the transformative power of design to empower marginalized indigenous communities.

via SPAN · Sept. 1, 2019
in Space Enabled
#design #art #space +3 more
Project Research

Theme | Wearable Biotech Enhancement

Lab on Body, Synthetic Biology, and Bio-Digital Systems for Health and Human Enhancement

in Fluid Interfaces
Oscar Rosello · Pat Pataranutaporn +5 more
#health #synthetic biology #wearable computing +3 more
Article Research

WIRED25: Stories of people who are racing to save us

Humanity is facing thorny problems on all fronts. These folks are working to solve them—and trying to avoid the unintended consequences.

via Wired · Oct. 15, 2019
in Director's Office · Civic Media
#robotics #artificial intelligence #environment +3 more
Article Research

Space pianos and upside-down shoes: innovations for life in space

Hairstyles, musical instruments and gardening all change in zero gravity, scientist Sands Fish says.

via CBC News · Oct. 8, 2019
in Space Exploration Initiative
#design #music #space +2 more
Article Research

Collaboration is key for the future of space exploration, HubWeek scientists say

Ariel Ekblaw presented designs for self-assembling architecture to create habitats for people living and working in low-gravity environments

via BU News Service · Oct. 4, 2019
in Space Exploration Initiative
#space #technology #zero gravity
Article Research

HubWeek 2019 celebrates five years of connecting MIT, Boston, and the world

Greater Boston’s annual festival of ideas finds new avenues for celebrating and connecting innovators.

via MIT News · Sept. 27, 2019
in Space Exploration Initiative
#space #community #technology
Article Research

MIT engineer develops new way to improve your body movement

Media Lab spinoff company Figur8 has developed a cost-effective, portable system to measure and track human motion.

via Forbes · Sept. 25, 2019
in Responsive Environments · Media Lab Spinoffs
#sensors #space #biomechanics
Article Research

MIT creates battery-free sensor for deep-sea and extraterrestrial exploration

An underwater internet of things monitoring the effects of climate change or sampling waters on distant planets

via Dezeen · Aug. 30, 2019
in Signal Kinetics
#sensors #computer science #space +3 more
Article Research

A battery-free sensor for underwater exploration

Submerged system uses the vibration of “piezoelectric” materials to generate power and send and receive data.

via MIT News · Aug. 20, 2019
in Signal Kinetics
#sensors #computer science #space +3 more
Project Research

The Telemetron

Today, the environments that humans occupy in space are designed for survival. Humans are carefully shuttled to and from space, and durin...

in Opera of the Future · Space Exploration Initiative
Nicole L'Huillier · Sands Fish +1 more
#design #art #music +3 more
Project Research

Accessibility of the microgravity research ecosystem

For decades, the International Space Station (ISS) has operated as a bastion of international cooperation and a unique testbed for microg...

in Space Enabled
Danielle Wood · Christine Joseph
#environment #health #politics +8 more
Article Research

How a robotic tail could help future space travelers

Researchers at the MIT Media Lab are developing technology for a day when amateur astronauts travel into orbit.

via The Wall Street Journal · April 5, 2019
in Responsive Environments
#space #zero gravity
Article Research

Honorable Mention: Moon Village, a vibrant hub in the unknown

Innovation knows no geographic bounds in this collaboration, including research by Labber Valentina Sumini.

via Architect Magazine · July 8, 2019
in Responsive Environments
#space
Article Research

Space exploration and the age of the Anthropocosmos

Joi Ito calls for responsible stewardship of the commons beyond our planet.

via Wired · May 30, 2019
in Director's Office · Space Exploration Initiative
#environment #politics #space +1 more
Project Research

Maiden Flight

Maiden Flight is an autonomous biological laboratory environment designed for studying the impact of space flight on the sole reproductiv...

in Mediated Matter · Space Exploration Initiative
Felix Kraemer · Ri Ren +2 more
#robotics #design #agriculture +9 more
Post Research

Space Health Wearables

Designing Wearables for Space Exploration

April 28, 2019
in Fluid Interfaces
#health #wearable computing #space +2 more
Article Research

A new grading system could deter satellite operators from junking up space

Rating efforts to keep Earth orbit sustainable

via THE VERGE · May 7, 2019
in Space Enabled
#space
Article Research

Consortium to develop “space sustainability” rating system

The World Economic Forum has selected a consortium of companies, universities and agencies to develop a system to rate the sustainability of

via Space News · May 7, 2019
in Space Enabled
#space
Project Research

Telepresent Drawings in Space

This project asks, how can we transmit experiences across space and time? The launching point of the project is to create a drawing that ...

in Space Exploration Initiative
Anne Liu
#agriculture #architecture #art +4 more
Post Research

Creating a Space Sustainability Rating

A team led by the Space Enabled group, ESA, and the World Economic Forum will address waste in Earth’s orbit

May 5, 2019
in Space Enabled
#space
Article Research

Six suborbital research payloads from MIT fly to space and back

Space Exploration Initiative research aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard experiment capsule crossed the Karman line for three minutes

via MIT News · May 3, 2019
in Space Exploration Initiative
#agriculture #architecture #art +4 more
Post Research

Six suborbital research payloads fly on Blue Origin New Shepard

The projects on board the Media Lab's first suborbital rocket flight

May 1, 2019
in Space Exploration Initiative
#architecture #art #space +1 more
Post Research

TESSERAE: Suborbital launch test

On May 2nd, 2019 we launched three TESSERAE v2 hardware tiles into space and back! They rode to just over 100km (past the Karman line) on...

April 29, 2019
in Responsive Environments · Space Exploration Initiative
#robotics #architecture #sensors +2 more
Article Research

The Future's Coming: Why we need to prepare for sci-fi tomorrows today

Teleportation may have to wait.

via Space.com · March 17, 2019
in Space Exploration Initiative · Beyond the Cradle
#social science #space #technology
Project Research

Big Ocean, Big Data

More ocean data has been collected in the last two years than in all previous years combined, and we are on a path to continue to break t...

in Open Ocean
Katy Croff Bell · Neil Gaikwad
#data #environment #machine learning +3 more
Project Research

Spatial Flux: Body and architecture in space

Structurally, zero gravity means that we do not have to contend with architecture's greatest arch-nemesis, gravity. This opens up a new w...

in City Science · Space Exploration Initiative
Carson Smuts · Chrisoula Kapelonis
#design #architecture #art +4 more
Archived
Project Research

ZeroN: Levitated Tangible Interface

Imagine a physical object that floats through the air, unconstrained by gravity, which can move freely to display the motion of a planet ...

in Tangible Media
Hiroshi Ishii · Ernest Rehmi Post
#imaging #space #gesture interface +1 more
Archived
Article Research

Space is poised for explosive growth. Let’s get it right.

Before low-earth orbit is clogged with hotels, satellite traffic, and debris, we should plan for the extra-planetary community we want.

via The Wall Street Journal · April 8, 2019
in Responsive Environments · Space Exploration Initiative
#architecture #space
Publication Research

Self-Assembling Space Habitats: TESSERAE design and mission architecture

Ekblaw, Ariel, and Joseph Paradiso. “ Self-Assembling Space Habitats:TESSERAE Technology and Mission Architecture for Zero-g Construction ” To appear in the Proceedings of the IEEE Aerospace Conference (2019).

Proceedings, March 2019
in Responsive Environments · Space Exploration Initiative
#robotics #architecture #sensors +2 more
Article Research

Microgravity research after the International Space Station

Researchers say new facilities in space should be available to scientists from any country.

via MIT News · March 12, 2019
in Space Enabled
#politics #space #technology
Project Research

Orbit Weaver

Gravity anchors all existence on Earth.It pulls a chaotic world to one single point in every moment of life. Even though gravity is every...

in Space Exploration Initiative
Xin Liu
#design #agriculture #architecture +8 more
Article Research

The architect designing self-assembling habitats for space

Tomorrow’s space explorers won’t be able to pack traditional, heavy building materials for their missions.

via BBC Future · Feb. 1, 2019
in Space Exploration Initiative
#space #technology
Article Research

Changing how we build satellites could do more than reduce space junk

Earth is surrounded by a cloud of defunct satellites that can be hazardous to working spacecraft—but it doesn't have to be that way.

via SPACE.com · Jan. 24, 2019
in Space Enabled
#3d printing #space #technology
Article Research

Uncharted worlds

Descending into the dark sea is like exploring deep space.

via Mashable · Jan. 18, 2019
in Open Ocean
#environment #space #biology +1 more
Publication Research

Self-Assembling Space Architecture: tessellated shell structures for space habitats

Ekblaw, A. and Paradiso, J.A., "Self-assembling Space Architecture: tessellated shell structures for space habitats," In AIAA Scitech 2019 Forum, Smart/Adaptable Deployable Structures (p. 0481).

Academic Paper, Jan. 2019
in Responsive Environments · Space Exploration Initiative
#design #architecture #space +1 more
Article Research

MIT’s zero-gravity musical instrument provides a soundtrack for space travel

The Telemetron was created in response to a call from the MIT Media Lab’s Space Exploration Initiative.

via Digital Trends · July 9, 2018
in Space Exploration Initiative
#music #space #zero gravity
Article Research

A musical instrument for astronauts and other news

BBC Click's Nick Kwek looks at some of the best technology stories of the week.

via BBC News · July 13, 2018
in Space Exploration Initiative
#music #space #zero gravity
Post Research

Earthrise, 50 years later

Thoughts from the Media Lab's Space Enabled group and Space Exploration Initiative

Dec. 24, 2018
in Space Exploration Initiative · Space Enabled
#space #climate change #racial justice
Publication Research

TESSERAE: Self-Assembling Shell Structures for Space Exploration

Ekblaw, Ariel and Joseph Paradiso. "TESSERAE: self-assembling shell structures for space exploration." In Proceedings of the Annual Symposium of the International Association of Shell and Spatial Structures: Extra Planetary Architecture, p. 317 (2018).

Proceedings, July 2018
in Responsive Environments · Space Exploration Initiative
#architecture #space
Project Research

Physio FreeFall

This project seeks to examine the effects of altered gravity on an individual’s physiology during parabolic flight. Specifically, we will...

in Affective Computing · Space Exploration Initiative
Kristy Johnson · Rosalind W. Picard +3 more
#bioengineering #consumer electronics #health +5 more
Post Research

Curating the human experience of space—present, future, and fiction

Xin Liu discusses the Space Exploration Initiative's upcoming arts exhibition at Ars Electronica

Aug. 21, 2018
in Space Exploration Initiative
#design #art #space +1 more
Article Research

Science Fiction for tomorrow's day to day

Ariel Ekblaw speaks at Sónar+D

via Sónar+D · July 31, 2018
in Responsive Environments · Space Exploration Initiative
#storytelling #space
Article Research

Making Music in Space

Nicole L'Huillier speaks at Sónar+D

via Sónar+D · July 31, 2018
in Opera of the Future · Space Exploration Initiative
#music #space
Article Research

The Telemetron is a post-Earth musical instrument designed for zero gravity

The Telemetron generates musical compositions using gyroscopic “chimes.”

via Motherboard · July 6, 2018
in Opera of the Future · Space Exploration Initiative
#music #space
Article Research

Project TESSERAE, a Self-Assembling Space Architecture

The TESSERAE project is a design experiment in imagining how to bring the concept of geodesic domes from Earth into orbit.

via hackster.io · July 21, 2018
in Responsive Environments · Space Exploration Initiative
#architecture #space
Article Research

MIT's 'Orbit Weaver' turns astronauts into spiders

A new MIT Media Lab device takes a page from Spiderman to help astronauts navigate while weightless.

via Motherboard · July 16, 2018
in Space Exploration Initiative
#space
Post Research

Rhapsody in Zero G

Reimagining research for life in space

Nov. 21, 2017
in Space Exploration Initiative
#space #zero gravity
Publication Research

Vomit Comet Physiology: Autonomic Changes in Novice Flyers

Johnson, K.T., Taylor, S., Fedor, S., Jaques, N., Chen, W., Picard, R.W. "Vomit Comet Physiology: Autonomic Changes in Novice Flyers." Proceedings of the International Conference of IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), Honolulu, Hawaii, July 2018.

Proceedings, July 2018
in Affective Computing
#bioengineering #consumer electronics #health +3 more
Post Research

TNW 2018: Designing Our Sci-Fi Space Future

For more on the Space Exploration Initiative @TNW2018, you can read the full article, "Making Star Wars a Reality through Design Thinking...

June 5, 2018
in Space Exploration Initiative
#design #space
Article Research

"Life, uh, finds a way"

Biomimicry looks to living organisms to create the future of sustainable engineering.

via Ars Technica · Jan. 26, 2018
in Space Exploration Initiative
#design #space
Post Research

Inventing Smells for Space: A chemistry, design, and R&D collaboration with IFF

A chemistry, design, and R&D collaboration with International Flavors and Fragrances, Inc.

March 20, 2018
in Space Exploration Initiative
#space
Article Research

A guide to daily life on Mars

What would daily life be like on the Red Planet?

via Science Friday · March 16, 2018
in Responsive Environments · Space Exploration Initiative
#space
Post Research

Six space technologies we can use to improve life on Earth

Danielle Wood's TED Talk

Feb. 27, 2018
in Space Enabled
#space
Article Research

“Life, uh, finds a way”—Applying lessons from evolution to go to Mars

Biomimicry looks to living organisms to create the future of sustainable engineering.

via Ars Technica · Feb. 12, 2018
in Space Exploration Initiative
#space
Publication Research

Self-Assembling Space Structures: buckminsterfullerene sensor nodes

Ekblaw, Ariel, and Joseph Paradiso. "Self-assembling Space Structures: Buckminsterfullerene Sensor Nodes." In 2018 AIAA SciTech / AHS Adaptive Structures Conference, p. 0565. 2018.

Proceedings, Jan. 2018
in Responsive Environments · Space Exploration Initiative
#design #architecture #computer science +1 more
Project Research

Scratch in Space

The Scratch Team invited young people from around the world to create Scratch projects designed specifically to be played in zero gr...

in Lifelong Kindergarten · Space Exploration Initiative
Christan Balch · Eric Schilling
#computer science #space #zero gravity
Project Research

Search for Extra-Terrestrial Genomes (SETG)

The widespread synthesis of common organic building blocks in space could have biased life beyond Earth towards chemical similarities to ...

in Space Exploration Initiative
#genetics #space #zero gravity
Archived
Project Research

Social Robots in Space: Initial Explorations

Can we enable social connectivity between astronauts and people on Earth through an embodied agent?Astronauts actively communicate with t...

in Personal Robots · Space Exploration Initiative
Ishaan Grover · Pedro Reynolds-Cuellar +2 more
#human-machine interaction #interfaces #social robotics +2 more
Archived
Project Research

Smells for Space: Olfactory Timecapsule for Earthly Memories

Each new technology forces us to confront who we are as humans.  As technological innovations in deep space exploration keep advanci...

in Space Exploration Initiative
Anne Liu
#design #art #space +1 more
Project Research

Nanoscale Imaging of Biomolecules in Zero G

Expansion microscopy (ExM) is a new imaging modality developed by MIT Media Lab's Synthetic Neurobiology group. ExM allows biomolecules t...

in Space Exploration Initiative
Jeong Seuk Kang
#imaging #space #biotechnology +1 more
Project Research

VR Maze in Zero Gravity

The brain uses space to index, organize, and retrieve memories. However, our sense of space depends on our perception of gravity. We...

in Fluid Interfaces · Space Exploration Initiative
Neo (Mostafa) Mohsenvand
#space #zero gravity
Article Research

Surface to Unlimited

There will be space makers and tinkerers, space theorists and humanists, space artists and athletes.

via Places Journal · Aug. 16, 2017
in Space Exploration Initiative
#space
Post Research

How humans could evolve to survive in space

Lisa Nip's TED Talk

April 21, 2016
in Molecular Machines
#space

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