ZERO-G Cutlery is a series of redesigned, food-related space products that explore new ways of designing artefacts that shape the human experience in long-duration missions.
Human needs are currently being retrofitted and adapted into the technology through rigorous training instead of being an equal element of consideration during the mission development. It is an effective method for current short-duration missions but we need to incorporate humans needs equally into the mission development if we want to make long-duration space journeys a reality. This entails that there needs to be better facilitation between design processes and engineering disciplines in order to achieve this long term goal.
This project uses food as a principal tool to explore the methods and processes used to design everyday products for microgravity. Through a series of experiments, the three tools were developed to enhance the eating experience in zero gravity. The proposed methodology behind these products attempts to bring the technical requirements of space and human-centred design together to address both the physiological and psychological needs of astronauts.
Zero-G Cutlery is an ongoing research project, has received validation and interest from multiple stakeholders and domain experts from MIT Media Labs, SpaceX and NASA.
