Besides the natural sciences based experiments Mars Desert Research Station offers an unique environment to test new technological developments under controlled conditions: considering the rapid technological development of the recent decades nobody can anticipate how for example a space suit will look like in 30 years. But research in analogue stations makes it possible to "ask the right questions" at least, that means the definition of the hardware's specification. At the same time the Austromars experiments yield a high degree of real-life relevance for terrestrial appliances, for instance the (during the simulation tested) Famos hardware can be used to detect symptoms of fatigue with fraught-with-risk occupational groups early enough.

AM21 Habitability

We understand the meaning of habitability as activities which increase the crew's well being by adept architectural changes on the habitat and thereby optimising their coherence and efficiency. E.g. that is an appropriate concept of lighting, evaluation of the existing contents of the habitat etc.

AM22 MDRS Rover

The Mars Desert Research Station Rover has been built by the austrian Institute of Technology in Vienna on behalf of ÖWF. It is controled by MCC via a satellite link or by the analogue astronauts via radio link. Besides a GPS-logger, inclination sensors, cameras the rover also carries a scientific occupancy loading to support the crew when on EVA.

AM23 Exploration Management

Besides the crew the MCC is also part of the Austromars experiment: it is the intention to optimize the cooperation among the scientific teams, simulated satellite data, pictures and measurements of the aerobot and the rover as well as the crew. In this regard exploration science means first simple tasks like the testing of the construction of an anti radiation wall built with sandbags in mars-like conditions.

AM24 Aerobot

The "Flying Eye" of Austromars: prior sending the crew to a geological sample collection location a zeppelin robot with an onboard camera reconnoitres the area.

AM25 Object Tracker

This experiment tests the tracking of persons in the habitat to study their movement pattern by using automated cameras. The data is used on the one hand to optimize the lanes inside the habitat, on the other hand it is used for psychological tests. At the same time they offer MCC a minimal invasive way to monitor the crew. The video stream is autmatically interpreted by a specialized software and permits quantification of duration times in predefined zones in the habitat.

AM26 Famos

Tiredness and exhaustion are two of the major risks for human failure: the fatigue monitory system (FAMOS) developed by Saamos Technologies is a headset-based system which is monitoring eye-movements of the crew members. After the simulation the video tapes will be analyzed in the laboratory and indicators for tiredness will be determined.