Bio-Hero

Pura Vida | Build a Space Biology Superhero

Bio-Hero: The Space Journey Begins

High-Level Project Summary

Bio-Hero: The Space Journey Begins is a digital game that will help you learn about the challenges organisms face when exposed to the space environment. Along with an easy-to-use platform and an exciting game mechanics, we will teach you in a simple way about the real science behind the research on how organisms adapt to space: extremophiles and their role in astrobiology, empty space and planetary conditions, and genetic manipulation as well as its function in space missions. At the time we raise curiosity in kids, they will definitely love the game, as it is innovative, engaging and educational.

Link to Final Project

https://github.com/Isaac4918/SpaceApps2022

Link to Project "Demo"

https://youtu.be/qzcn60w3JCU

Detailed Project Description

About the game mechanics:

First of all, we must say that we focused on the general idea of the game, its mechanics and its impactful educative content. We accept hereby that statistical information regarding the organisms’ capabilities and planets information may have some mistakes due to the lack of information and time. Obviously, for future updates and maintenance we would direct our efforts into having the largest amount of data and the most legit information.

Bio-Hero: The Space Journey Begins is a game with two main sections: a strategy card game and a platform game with limited time. With these two sections, the game seeks to be quite enjoyable and diverse.

At the beginning of the game we are given a scenery, which is the target we have to test our character in. We are also given a set of cards, which are organisms with special features capable of resisting several space stresses, with their price value in terms of “ADN points” (we want to exemplify that just as there are limited supplies in space, in the game the user has limited points to spend on buying organism features, a.k.a. cards. A more explicit message explaining about the reason for the limited points was left undone due to lack of time.

). Finally, we are also given a limited amount of these points. Given the features of the scenery, we will have to choose wisely among the cards, taking into account their prices so we can select an adequate combination of features that enables our character to survive.

The test is performed with the platform game. In this section, depending on how well prepared is the character (the resulting organism), thus well it will survive and get to the goal or die. During the platform game, we gain points so we can improve previous features. If successful, our character passes to the next scenery, which would have harder conditions (i.e. higher doses of radiation and more extreme temperatures). Before testing the character with the platform game, we

Throughout the game, the character will improve continuously to the point it becomes a space biology superhero capable of resisting even at the worst conditions. Once you have gotten to that point and seen the long path the character has gone through, you will understand how hard the space environment really is.

We are aware that there exist many other risks faced by humans and other organisms in space, such as affectations to bones and muscles, specific by-products of radiation such as cancer, etc., information available in https://humanresearchroadmap.nasa.gov/risks/. We believe this is important to know, and in order for the user to learn about it, we wanted to implement bonus-points questions in the platform game. For a matter of time, we couldn't do this, yet the goal remains the same. We also plan to add how different kinds of space radiation affect distinctively and how organisms respond to them.

We wanted to implement some key information messages in standby screens and text bubbles so that the game features take more sense. For time limitations we weren’t able to add them, but some of those messages relates to the following:

Why genetic manipulation is key in space exploration, so it makes sense to take advantage of useful organisms’ characteristics to improve a super-organism.
What experiments have been performed aboard the ISS and on Earth to better understand how organisms adapt to the space environment. Even, we can inform about upcoming experiments like the BioSentinel Mission.
How current research in astrobiology works with terrestrial organisms and extremophiles to learn more about how they could adapt to various extreme environments.
Links to NASA websites for extra information in case the user is curious to know more.

Another application for future updates has to do with adding new organisms (along with their own unique characteristics, such as dolphins for disrupted sleep or flatworms for access to medical care since they can self repair) and new environments (more planets, more moons, empty space and even wonderful and mind blowing exoplanets!). For this we will use NASA’s databases such as https://genelab-data.ndc.nasa.gov/genelab/projects

About the storytelling and its purpose:

We wanted to make something impactful, and at the time to portray a real-world worry so the youth get interested in the problem. We wanted to make things as easy as possible, and at the time to demonstrate how the real science is done so kids become interested. We wanted to make a game visually attractive and enjoyable. In the end, we achieved it not only by dynamic game mechanics but also by an engaging story.
The conversation used in the intro for the game goes as follows:
Sir, we have just identified high signals of ultraviolet radiation, the ozone layer suffered great deterioration in a very short period of time due to climate change, humanity will not be able to live on the planet for much longer "
How much time do we have until we develop a solution?
Our best estimates predict 5 years before major destruction occurs in our DNA by radiation, what are we going to do?
We must find a way to survive in space, we will dedicate all our resources to high priority research on how other organisms adapt to these unfavorable conditions.
We have many specimens in our facilities and the best computer simulation programs sir, we can test the performance of different combinations of DNA to develop the perfect organism in space conditions.
Get started right now, this project is the only thing standing between the success of human civilization and the complete extinction of our species.
Right on it!

The conversation used in the intro for the demo goes as follows:

Climate change destroyed the ozone layer, and we only have 5 years before our DNA is irreparably damaged, we must leave our home planet, but that means exposing ourselves to the challenges that space has for us.
Learn about different organisms with extraordinary abilities to withstand adversity, mix their unique characteristics to develop the perfect organism and test their abilities in different extreme environments that we will be tested on during this journey. That’s the only way to be sure of what to expect from our travesy and know how to avoid it.
Let this experience be what’s needed to save humanity against extinction

Space Agency Data

Starting on the challenge details page, we saw the video as a way to introduce ourselves to the topic, after that we read the Nasa documents and web pages provided in the space apps resources page for the challenge, assets which gave us the beginning of an idea to develop our project; we used those resources to identify main challenges that long distance space travels have. So to create our proposition to this challenge, we used Nasa’s databases specifically those mentioned below:

https://humanresearchroadmap.nasa.gov/risks/

https://science.nasa.gov/biological-physical/programs/space-biology

https://www.nasa.gov/hrp/5-hazards-of-human-spaceflight

https://genelab-data.ndc.nasa.gov/genelab/projects

Hackathon Journey

We were really pleased to have some great advisors during the challenge. We want to thank our local coordinators Leandro Camacho, Vivian Jiménez and Ricardo Quesada, as well as the mentors Claudia Peña, Fiorella Arias, and Alfredo Morales.

It has been chaotic and tiring, yet a very cool and exciting experience; in which we have learned a lot about the challenges long distances space travels present, and also we have learned a large quantity of information about different organisms that may be able to resist those difficulties. We chose this challenge because we thought that it adjusted best to the areas of expertise that each member of the group had, and because of our specific interest in topics of astrobiology. We divided up the work, assigning each task to whom would do it best. In group we discussed every setback and challenge to determine together which was the best course of action.