Hey Maqi, what’s the air quality on Mars today? Can I do outdoor activities?

In 2020, NASA successfully launched Mars 2020 as part of the Future Human Expedition to Mars Project. One of the missions of this project is to prepare for life support, testing a method for producing oxygen from the Martian atmosphere. Because the planet, mostly covered by red dust, contains more than 95% carbon dioxide and very little oxygen. Its surface is rocky, and red dust covers most of its surface.

As we all know, bad air quality produces countless problems for humans, including chronic illness, allergies, etc. So in order to adapt to a new life on the Red Planet, there will be an increasing demand for monitoring the atmosphere on a daily basis, just like checking daily weather on Earth. Yes, it will be more of an inevitable routine in order to survive. Then, can it be something fun and entertaining rather than staring at a clinical and flat interface?

With this in mind, I created Maqi, a virtual assistant that tracks Martian Air Quality using Paper Folding (Origami), Paper Crane Birds, as the main design elements. Maqi will help detect the status of Martian atmosphere and assist the new residents on Mars.

Many studies have found that birds are the main indicator of air pollution as they are directly affected by it. By applying the lighthearted activity of paper folding, I aim to enhance the experience in a cheerful and playful manner.

ResourcesAudio – Sounds of Mars
Image & Video – Image 1
Name of locations