Abstract: A workstation for microgravity environments is provided that prevents objects from floating around inside a spacecraft. The workstation includes a downdraft table that has a plenum chamber with an inlet and an outlet. A fan is disposed in the plenum chamber for drawing air into the plenum via the inlet, and exhausting air from the plenum via the outlet. A metal grate is disposed across the inlet, and an air resistive stack is disposed on an outer side of the metal grate. The air resistive stack includes an inner resistive layer disposed on the metal grate and an outer resistive layer disposed on the inner layer. The workstation improves a user's ability to perform many activities in a microgravity environment.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for dynamically performing depth-based analysis of a physical workspace. The system includes a depth camera to generate three dimensional (3D) images, and a controller. The controller is able to acquire a stream of 3D images, calculate distances between the depth camera and objects represented by 3D pixels within the 3D images, identify an increase in distance between the objects and the depth camera, detect a pause, and define a reference surface during the pause. The controller is also able to identify a change in distance between the objects and the depth camera after defining the reference surface, to identify a segment of the current 3D image close to the depth camera, and to determine a gesture location within the current 3D image based on the identified segment. A data set corresponding to the gesture location then adjusts an output of a display.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for the production and application of a cyanobacteria based biological soil crust inoculant for soil fertilization, soil stabilization and the drawing down and sequestering of atmospheric carbon. Inoculant is generated as a dry granulate that can be stockpiled and spread onto soils using standard agricultural spreading practices employing aircraft, ground equipment and irrigation systems. This inoculant will have particular application in stabilizing agricultural and arid land soils to limit their erosion, increasing soil fertility by fixing atmospheric nitrogen and providing nutrients, and drawing down atmospheric carbon dioxide by stimulating the growth and propagation of these biological soil crusts and their associated microorganisms and vascular plants.