A smart mockup for a small habitat

The aim of this paper is to propose an innovative process in small habitats design based on the use of smart material and structures. Space flights represents the extreme challenge in design for long time life support systems, nevertheless a number of analogues of space mission exists: submarines, terrestrial explorations, supertankers, mountaineering, natural and built simulators, small remote community and Antarctic winter bases. The concept proposed here is based on the use of a mockup enhanced by the utilization of smart materials and smart structures that permits to track the user experience and consequently optimize shapes, volumes, lights, color and the others characteristics. After a review of habitats users’ needs and specification from the space industry, a list of recommendations for the small habitat design is proposed. This work represent a preliminary research useful to address the components of the problem: the needs of people that will use the habitat for long time (onboard submarines, ships, or other confined situation), the psycho-environmental variables to be used in the design process to achieve the well-being of crew and guest, and the related technological issues.