Project D.R.E.E.M.

Project D.R.E.E.M. 1.0

Digital Reality Ethereal Emigration Metaverse

Project D.R.E.E.M. is a virtual reality simulation built to cure acute homesickness and the feeling of isolation from family/humanity. You must scan your home spaces into the AR program and create your location in the database. Family members and friends can also join you in the AR room you create, so you can talk or play board games in real time.

This project is important because homesickness has a large impact on the mental health of the habitat's people. Mental health is important for productive societies and a negative mental health crisis would be devastating for the habitat and the health of the people who live there.

Project D.R.E.E.M. is based on the virtual reality headsets we have today, where you can put it on and feel immersed in a different world. The headsets include headphones with surround sound to help make the experience more immersive. The sound is important because our brains are wired to remember certain sounds which can stimulate certain emotions. This is true for fear, heartbreak, and happiness. In order to scan your surrondings, you would need a progam known as Photogrammetry to scan you surrondings. Photogrammetry works by taking lots of pictures of your surrondings from many angles, to ensure all the area is covered. The people at home would use this to scan a room and upload it, then you and the person in the lunar habitat could enjoy. Finally, you would need interent access in order for the people to connect. NASA has set up a network called LunaNet which would provide that internet connection we need.

Project D.R.E.E.M. is important for the people of the lunar habitat because there have been many case studies showing the harmful effect on the physical and mental health of astronauts. Bad mental health has many causes; low productivity, unhappiness, isolation, increased risk of drug use, problems with work or school, self-harm or harm to others, and weakened immune systems. These can have an increases risk when living on an isolated planet away from everything you've been used to. Homesickness is a large contributing factor to anxiety and depression; in some cases, it can even lead to physical symptoms such as headaches, nausea, changes in appetite, etc. In order for the lunar habitat to function at its highest capacity possible, the people who live on the lunar habitat need to feel as good as possible.

Project D.R.E.E.M. is perfectly feasible with all of the technology we've developed today. Virtual reality is already widespread in the gaming industry and is being enhanced every day. Motion sensors and sound systems are usually included with VR headsets, however, there are some more innovative options for this technology like a full functioning motion body suit. There are a few different programs that are used to scan and upload areas into VR, Photogrammetry being one of the most popular today. However, there are some programs that can operate directly from your phone camera, so this techology would not be hard to acess. Finally, in order for the whole thing to work, we would need an internet connection, which NASA has been establishing since 2021.

Project D.R.E.E.M. was created to offer a solution for homesickness and isolation for the people on the lunar habitat. Homesickness can lead to feelings of depression, which can impact one's wellbeing and productivity. By using virtual reality technology, programs such as Photogrammetry, and the LunaNet that NASA is developing, we can scan home environments and recreate the sounds and sights of being at home with your family or friends. When we address these feelings of isolation with our cutting-edge technology, we promote mental well-being and productivity for the members of the lunar habitat.

Bibliography

LunaNet: Empowering Artemis with Communications and Navigation Interoperability - NASA. (2021, October 7). https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/lunanet-empowering-artemis-with-communications-and-navigation-interoperability/

Arone, A., Ivaldi, T., Loganovsky, K., Palermo, S., Parra, E., Flamini, W., & Marazziti, D. (2021). The Burden of Space Exploration on the Mental Health of Astronauts: A Narrative Review. Clinical Neuropsychiatry, 18(5), 237–246. https://doi.org/10.36131/cnfioritieditore20210502

The link between sound and emotions | Greentree Audiology. (n.d.). Greentreeaudiology.com. Retrieved March 26, 2024, from https://greentreeaudiology.com/blog/link-sounds-emotions#:~:text=Researchers%20at%20the%20National%20Institute%20for%20Neuroscience%20in

FAU | Homesickness - How to Cope with a Strange and Unfamiliar Environment. (n.d.). Www.fau.edu. https://www.fau.edu/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/homesickness/index.php

Mayo Clinic. (2022). Mental Illness - Symptoms and Causes. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/symptoms-causes/syc-20374968

de Oliveira, C., Saka, M., Bone, L., & Jacobs, R. (2022). The Role of Mental Health on Workplace Productivity: A Critical Review of the Literature. Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, 21(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40258-022-00761-w

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