Architects Christina Balomenaki and Efharis Gourounti, both Technical University of Crete (TUC) graduates and currently research scientists at the university’s Transformable Intelligent Environments Laboratory – TUC TIE Lab, participated in the first official scientific expedition of Greece to Antarctica, as members of the 33rd Expedition of the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute (BAI). This strategic step for Greece was coordinated by the Hellenic Polar Zones Society, in collaboration with BAI, which supports Greece's integration into the wider Antarctic research ecosystem. The mission was carried out with the kind sponsorship of Laskaridis Shipping Company Ltd, together with support from the Greek Ministries of Development and Foreign Affairs, as well as from the Greek Parliament’s Special Permanent Committee on Environmental Protection.

The collaboration between the Hellenic Polar Zones Society and the Technical University of Crete with BAI is a great opportunity to enhance Greek scientific activity in Antarctica, but also a basis for the creation of a long-term framework for international cooperation and innovation. The well-established presence of BAI in the region and the valuable know-how of its crew-members in managing the complex challenges of the polar environment significantly reduced the operational risks and the expenses of the Greek mission, offering access to already established supply, transport and communication networks, as well as to the specialized infrastructure of the St. Clement of Ohridski research base. BAI's experience ensured effectiveness at all stages of the mission, from planning to implementation, while the collaboration created a strong sense of security for the Greek research team.

Especially of note is the fact that Christina Balomenaki and Efharis Gourounti successfully continued the scientific research in Antarctica along the path mapped out by Evangelos Kaimakamis and Adrianos Golemis, doctors who participated in ESA's medical research program at the Concordia station, as well as by geologist Ioannis Baziotis as a member of NASA's Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET) mission.

The work of the two researchers was scientifically guided by the Transformable Intelligent Environments Laboratory (TUC TIE Lab) at the TUC School of Architecture. In addition, a mission-support group has been formed with scientific collaborators from Greece (Digital Signal and Image Processing Laboratory-Display Lab from the TUC School of Electrical and Computer Engineering), the Netherlands (Eindhoven University of Technology) and USA (University of California, Santa Barbara). The Scientific Coordinator was Professor Konstantinos-Alketas Oungrinis, TUC TIE Lab Director and Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation of the Technical University of Crete. It should be noted that the Technical University of Crete provided specialized technological equipment for both the experiments of the two researchers.

Christina Balomenaki's experiment was entitled "Audio-Visual System to Mitigate the Negative Effects on Stress and Depression in Confined Spaces and Extreme Environments" and stemed from the field of neuro-architecture. In extreme environments, such as that of Antarctica, this research direction is particularly important as it is crucial to maintain the psychological stability of the people participating in the expeditions, both for their safety and for the success of the mission in general. In this research project, the primary goal of the experiment is to enhance the psychological and emotional well-being of people who stay in isolation for prolonged periods of time. This can be achieved by mitigating the detrimental effects commonly associated with long-term residence in such environments, like mild depression, anxiety, monotony and reduced productivity.

Christina’s experiment implemented special techniques with customized environmental projections, combined with visual and auditory stimuli. The tools employed belong to two main categories: a) digital multimedia systems for processing images and videos, even in real time, and b) equipment for collecting data from brain activity through electroencephalographs (EEG) and for measuring biometric data through wearable devices that record stress. The data collected is not subjectively influenced by the participant, thus ensuring objectivity in the analysis. At the same time, content is produced through a methodology that applies specific protocols to avoid overlapping factors, allowing for the detection of the dominant influence factor.

The second experiment, titled "Habitability in Extreme Environments: A Participatory Design Approach to Increase Occupant's Wellbeing," recorded and analyzed the parameters that affect human activity and psychology and overall shape the concept of habitability in extreme conditions. By employing good practices from architecture and participatory design, the aim of the experiment was to propose spatial layouts and ambient elements that would ensure the physical and psychological comfort of people living and working in isolation at a remote research station. This approach included an investigation of the spatial perception and the interactions of people with their Antarctica habitat, based on the analysis of their activity (activity-based design).

Data collection was based on observation protocols, questionnaires, interviews and participatory design workshops. Through the observation protocols, Efharis recorded information relevant to the use, perception and appropriation of space. Participatory design workshops actively engaged users and guided them toward a better understanding of the spatial factors that affected them daily, as well as of the possibilities for intervention, in order to gradually evolve their ability to propose solutions tailored to their expressed needs and desires. The questionnaires and the interviews offered a more targeted and in-depth recording of experiences and preferences, while a special methodology was applied for extracting qualitative information. The feedback loop ensured the accuracy and reliability of the data, verifying the findings with the help of the participants themselves, so that the design solutions met their real needs.

The research framework of the two experiments was based on methodologies, technologies and implementation techniques developed by TUC TIE Lab, with applications in various fields, that aim to reduce the negative emotional and psychological states of people. This framework primarily focuses on improving living conditions in extreme environments, guided by the fact that humanity approaches the establishment of long-term stay in outer space, on the one hand, as well as by the challenges brought forward by climate change, on the other. Secondly, it develops strategies for dealing with mild depression and "urban" stress, which form a common daily life component for the majority of the human population, whether in the workplace, in the living space, or even in public space. Finally, the associated methodologies aim to improve treatment and rehabilitation conditions, offering new solutions to support the psychological and physical well-being of individuals in various phases of their lives. The specific research framework of the Antarctic expedition seeks to confirm whether personalized, customized visual content related to each person's background has a stronger effect on reducing negative psychological effects, compared to some generic content containing similar characteristics.

Since 2012, TUC TIE Lab has been active in cutting-edge research regarding the relationship between humans, space and technology. More specifically, the lab specializes in the human-centered design of space habitats, in the study and development of systems for dealing with negative psychological effects, in simulating habitability in extreme environments, in the social consequences of prolonged stay in them, as well as in the spatial parameters that contribute to the transition from survival, to livability and finally to habitability in extreme environments, through collaborations with research teams from NASA, ESA, as well as academic institutions in the USA and Europe. In this broader context, members of the lab's scientific team are exploring the field of neuro-architecture, a new scientific area that studies the relationship between neuroscience and architecture, through experiments that help us understand the influence of space and the characteristics of the wider environment on human activity, mood and psychology.

The research results in this field are applied in extreme conditions habitats, in environments intended for medical rehabilitation, in educational settings, in the work environment as well as in public space. In the case of natural disasters or humanitarian crises, the lab’s methodology provides -and continuously enriches- a design framework for the creation of flexible and functional shelters that meet the immediate needs of the users. This way, research not only provides solutions for extreme environments, but also creates a dynamic basis for designing infrastructures that enhance functionality and resilience in a variety of contexts. Similarly to the advances in space research, where there is a significant number of discoveries that have benefited human activity on Earth.

Research Team

Antarctic Group

• Christina Balomenaki
  Architect-Engineer TUC, Researcher TUC TIE Lab, Technical University of Crete

• Efharis Gourounti
  Architect-Engineer TUC, Researcher TUC TIE Lab, Technical University of Crete

Mission-Support Team

• Marios Antonakakis
  Electrical and Computer Engineering, MSc, PhD, Research Associate Display Lab, Technical University of Crete

• Kynthia Chamilothori
  Architect-Engineer, MSc, PhD, Assistant Professor of Human-Technology Interaction (HTI) group, Eindhoven University of Technology

• Iasonas Paterakis
  Architect-Engineer TUC, MSc, PhD Candidate, Media Arts & Technology, University of California, Santa Barbara

• Nefeli Manoudaki
  Architect-Engineer TUC, MSc, PhD Candidate, Media Arts & Technology, University of California, Santa Barbara

• Marios Christoulakis
  Electrical and Computer Engineering, MSc, PhD Candidate, TUC TIE Lab Researcher , Technical University of Crete

• Marios Ioannidis
  Computer Science, MSc, PhD Candidate, University of the Aegean, TUC TIE Lab Researcher, Technical University of Crete

• Christos Ivopoulos
  Architect-Engineer TUC, TUC TIE Lab Researcher, Technical University of Crete

• Klea Biniakou
  BSc student, TUC TIE Lab Researcher, School of Architecture, Technical University of Crete

• Argyro Tsilia
  BSc student, TUC TIE Lab Researcher, School of Architecture, Technical University of Crete

• Ismini Chrysochoou
  Architect-Engineer, Democritus University of Thrace, MSc, TUC TIE Lab Researcher, Technical University of Crete

• Theodoros Paraskakis
  Visual Artist-Graphic Designer-Educator, TUC TIE Lab Researcher, Technical University of Crete

Scientific Coordinators

• Konstantinos-Alketas Oungrinis
  Transformable Intelligent Environments Lab (TUC TIE Lab) Director
  Professor, School of Architecture
  Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation, Technical University of Crete

• Michael Zervakis
  Digital Image and Signal Processing Laboratory (DISPLAY Lab) Director
  Professor, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering
  Rector, Technical University of Crete

• Marianthi Liapi
  Architect-Engineer, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, MSc MIT-Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
  TUC TIE Lab Research Program Director
  Scientific Associate, Technical University of Crete