In microgravity, heating and mixing food is a complex operation due to the different behaviour of liquids and ingredients.

The Emo Space Shaker was born from the idea that the moment of food preparation and consumption should correspond to a convivial and relaxing pause in the astronaut’s planned activity. And that a simple individual object - endowed with a playful identity capable of suggesting gentle behaviours and gestures for heating and mixing food, and perhaps even allowing its consumption by simplifying the whole process - could take advantage of the lack of gravity and the application of the Use & Gesture Design (UGD) methodology.

It is inspired by the shape and use of a maracas, a South American musical instrument, which emphasises a moment of leisure through its playful use. In reality, an ingenious hybrid mechanical system, consisting of a dynamo attached to a rechargeable battery, uses movement to generate energy and evenly heat the food, which is then consumed in the hemispherical part of the container, which has been transformed into a cup.

The end result is a product based on a simple gesture to prepare food efficiently and consume it easily, with great potential for spin-offs in terrestrial applications.