terraXcube — one of the Eurac Research‘s most extraordinary laboratories—was created to simulate the extreme conditions of mountains in a safe and controlled environment. The lab features an advanced technological conception, in which hypobaric chamber technology has been paired with top-of-the-line environmental simulation in an infrastructure capable of providing all the Earth’s extreme environmental conditions in a single test facility.

The aim of terraXcube is to safely study the effects of different climactic conditions on human physiology, alpine ecology and industrial products. Its activities address the needs of mountaineers, rescue operators, farmers and other entrepreneurs working in the Alps, or on the high-altitude mountain peaks elsewhere in the world. The research fields covered by terraXcube are mountain medicine and alpine ecology. The infrastructure also offers a range of industrial testing and research-led product development, particularly in the automotive, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), textile and agricultural sectors.

STRUCTURE

terraXcube represents a new generation of infrastructure for research and testing that leverages a multi-dimensional approach for environmental simulation. It centres on the concept of cubes, the “Large Cube” and the “Small Cube”—two distinct chambers for environmental simulation that enable a broad spectrum of experiments and tests.

TEAM

terraXcube is a multidisciplinary infrastructure, whose management team is made up of researchers from various disciplines, technicians, managers and administrators.

Institute for Mountain Emergency Medicine:

Institute for Alpine Environment: