“The routine of being stuck on Mars can get dull quickly. Especially in the situation our character finds himself in. However, with the “NOVA” cards (a set of devices that he can scrap together with available equipment), he can connect to his loved ones by capturing and sharing single moments of his emotional states which include an image and haptic recording of his heartbeat. In return, the loved ones can stay connected with him by doing the same and sharing their moments and experiences to reassure him that they are waiting for his return.
The tangibility of the “NOVA” cards let’s our character hang up a dedicated card for each of his loved ones, much like a traditional picture, and carry them around on his missions. The tactile message lets him feel their emotional state through the simulated heartbeat. We believe that the “NOVA” cards one message per person, per day function will present a new challenge for our character each day and keep him occupied to create new positive moments until he finds his way back home.”
A challenge proposed by Microsoft Inclusive Design Team: Hacking Mars attracted many designer around the globe to come up with ideas to help an isolated astronauts to survive. Me and my team members (Jimi Okelana & Roshan Peiris) addressed this topic by looking at it from a global perspective, how to maintain the emotional attachment between this astronaut and with people he love. We began with an ideation to come up with ideas around this topic
This project was submitted to Microsoft Design Challenge, #HackingMars.
Microsoft Design Challenge 2015 #HackingMars top three finalists