TerraXcube is the extreme climate simulation center of Eurac Research, located in the NOI Techpark in Bolzano (South Tyrol). D-Air Lab selected this facility for the development of a controlled environment test, to study human reactions and developed technologies under extreme cold conditions.
The goal of these tests was to verify the functionality, usability, reliability and ergonomics of the systems used, both in a neutral environment and in one with characteristics analogous to those of Antarctica. The activity involved simulating a real Antarctic mission inside the Large Cube climate chamber where the subject had to reach a device to be serviced, move to other points in the environment to dig a trench in the snow, and finally return to base.
The test was divided in two distinct phases, separated by two weeks, with different environmental conditions: the first phase, called "Zero State," was conducted under optimal conditions with the purpose of defining the subject's physiological parameters in an ideal context. The second phase, called "Antarctic Simulation," aimed to verify performance under extreme environmental conditions such as -40°C, an altitude of 3230 m above sea level, humidity, UV radiation and wind analogous to those present in Antarctica, and the windchill effect to accentuate thermal dispersion.
During both phases, data were collected on vital parameters and thermal dispersion, and biometric monitoring systems were verified. The final test results contributed to improving the reliability of devices and operational procedures in extreme environments with important implications for daily life; they also paved the way for further field tests in hostile environments such as the Arctic and Antarctic, allowing continuous optimization of the product and technical solutions adopted.