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Send Senses

Send Senses

Is it possible to experience a long-distance embrace with our beloved, between Earth and Space, by wearing sensations thanks to soft robots?

The sense of loneliness that crew members feel when they are away from home and family for many months is one of the biggest problems of living in Space in a confined environment due to the extreme conditions. Although nostalgia is currently reduced by the possibility of video calls, the physical absence cannot be compensated.

Send Senses

Space Design goes beyond functional aspects to consider the physiological and emotional ones that have a great influence on our behaviour. The multidisciplinary approach allows the integration of disciplines as diverse as mechatronics and robotics to create disruptive innovations.

Send Sense provides the sensation of a hug thanks to two soft twin robots that allow two people, one on Earth and one in Space, to communicate by remotely transmitting the sensation of movement and touch generated by the shifting of internal fluids controlled by a CPU. They consist of a rigid core for charging and transmission and a soft part and can be worn on the hand or around the arm.

PartnersEuropean Space Agency (ESA)
DesignESA_LAB@PoliMi_Design, Space4InspirACTion
PrincipalsAnnalisa Dominoni, Benedetto Quaquaro
TeamIrene Zaccara, Andres Caceres, Enzo Guy Piero Camilla, Daniele Carlini, Lisa Iannello, Victoria Schon Rodriguez
TypeSpace products — Sensory objects
Ministero Affari Esteri Diplomazia scientifica Polimi Esa