HumAnS Hab:Human-Automation Systems Habitat |
| Title | Reconfigurable Aquatic Habitat for Experiments in Life Support Systems and Automation |
| Internal Case Number | 5736 |
| Inventor(s) | Ayanna Howard; Gregorio Enrique Drayer Andrade; |
| Abstract |  The current invention builds on the use of aquatic habitats as small-scale platforms for Earth-based and spaceflight life support systems (LSS). Their ability to reuse a limited volume of water makes them the ideal candidate for studying the sustainability of larger-scale environmental systems. This particular invention focuses on the control and automation of the life support system. The system has the ability to be operated in either open or closed configuration. This option also allows for the introduction of life support consumables during the use of the system. An LED-based lamp drives the photosynthesis of the aquatic plants and regulates the oxygen dissolved in the water. The dissolved oxygen levels can be either self-regulated in the closed system or manually controlled by an operator. Research performed with such platform could allow for automation strategies that increase the autonomy of larger-scale closed environmental systems and for the controlled intensification of production systems in aquaculture and agriculture. The new Georgia Tech system would also be ideal for small or lab-scale research platforms exploring the interaction between biological elements and automation technology at ecosystem and ecophysiological levels. Please send request for further information to Cheryl Junker at cheryl.junker "at" gtrc.gatech.edu. |
| OTL Contact | Cheryl Junker |
| Keywords | life support, aquatic, aquatic habitat, commercial fishing |
Research with the ground-based platform described above may be framed within the field known as life support and biospherics, which objectives are:
Past projects have made use of aquatic habitats for experiments in zoology and physiology in low Earth orbit (LEO), and for ecotoxicological studies in ground-based hardware. Such habitats have made use of on/off control (similar to thermostats) to regulate life support variables, and do not necessarily consider all the physiological requirements of their biological elements. Results obtained with the Closed Equilibrated Biological Aquatic System (CEBAS) minimodule in Space Shuttle missions STS-89 and STS-90 show that microgravity does not affect aquatic habitats considerably for exposure periods of up to 16 days. This module also flew in STS-107 but no results were reported due to the accident of the Space Shuttle Columbia. A recent initiative by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) plans to include an aquatic habitat in their International Space Station module, Kibo. Beyond these efforts, very little has been done to make use of aquatic habitats for research in spaceflight life support control and automation.
- To build models of terrestrial ecosystems to better understand the processes that regulate life.
- To build habitats to extend the human presence to extreme environments on Earth and beyond.
- To develop technologies that may help to utilize natural resources efficiently and in a more sustainable way.
- study the balance of small-scale ecosystems that contain a combination of natural agents (botanical, animal) and artificial agents (controllers);
- investigate the integration and automation of bioregenerative life support processes for artificial habitats; and
- help develop technologies that may increase the sustainability of environmental and production systems on Earth.
- increase the sustainability of environmental systems; and
- help reduce the stored mass of consumables in controlled ecological life support systems (CELSS).
Past projects have made use of aquatic habitats for experiments in zoology and physiology in low Earth orbit (LEO), and for ecotoxicological studies in ground-based hardware. Such habitats have made use of on/off control (similar to thermostats) to regulate life support variables, and do not necessarily consider all the physiological requirements of their biological elements. Results obtained with the Closed Equilibrated Biological Aquatic System (CEBAS) minimodule in Space Shuttle missions STS-89 and STS-90 show that microgravity does not affect aquatic habitats considerably for exposure periods of up to 16 days. This module also flew in STS-107 but no results were reported due to the accident of the Space Shuttle Columbia. A recent initiative by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) plans to include an aquatic habitat in their International Space Station module, Kibo. Beyond these efforts, very little has been done to make use of aquatic habitats for research in spaceflight life support control and automation.