New 'Dune stillsuit' turns breath, sweat, pee into drinking water
Real-Life 'Dune' Suit: Drink From Sweat and Pee?
Engineers at Hacksmith Industries have created a prototype "stillsuit" inspired by the "Dune" series that transforms wearer's sweat, breath, and urine into drinkable water. Using a combination of common parts like a Tyvek suit and a computer cooling device, the team managed to assemble the suit in less than a day. The suit, which functions similarly to a reverse dehumidifier, collects and filters the water, making it safe for the wearer to drink. Although not as efficient as the fictional version, the prototype represents a significant step towards making science fiction a reality.
What specific components and materials were used to create the "stillsuit" and how do they function together?
The "stillsuit" created by Hacksmith Industries is a combination of various components and materials that work together to recycle the wearer's body moisture into drinkable water. Here are the key components and their functions:
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Tyvek suit: This is a full-body suit made from a synthetic material that is used as the base for the stillsuit. It helps in containing the body moisture inside the suit.
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Dune costume: This is an off-the-shelf costume that is added for aesthetics, making the stillsuit resemble the ones from the Dune universe.
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Thermoelectric cooler: This is a device used to cool computers and electronics by running an electrical charge through two different types of metal. One side of the device gets hot while the other side gets cold. In the stillsuit, the cold side is exposed inside the suit, and the hot side is exposed outside. The cold side helps in condensing water vapor out of the air inside the suit.
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Respirator with a plastic tube: The wearer's breath is passed through a respirator and a plastic tube, which directs the exhaled air over the thermoelectric cooler. This helps in condensing the moisture from the breath into water droplets.
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Drinking bladder: The liquid water collected from the wearer's sweat and breath is stored in a drinking bladder within the suit.
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In-line water filter: An in-line water filter purchased from a local sports supply shop is used to filter the collected water before it is consumed by the wearer.
These components work together to create a system that collects, filters, and stores the wearer's body moisture, turning it into drinkable water.
In what ways does the "stillsuit" prototype differ in efficiency and design from the fictional suits described in the "Dune" series?
The "stillsuit" prototype created by Hacksmith Industries differs from the fictional suits described in the "Dune" series in several ways. While the prototype does successfully recycle the wearer's body moisture to produce drinkable water, it is not as efficient as the suits in the novels and films. The design of the prototype is also less sleek and aesthetically refined than the fictional versions.
In the "Dune" universe, the stillsuits are described as being able to recycle almost all of the wearer's body moisture, losing only about 15 milliliters of water a day. The suits are also designed to be form-fitting and lightweight, allowing for ease of movement in the harsh desert environment.
In contrast, the prototype created by Hacksmith Industries uses a combination of a Tyvek suit and an off-the-shelf Dune costume, with a thermoelectric cooler to condense water vapor out of the air inside the suit3. While the prototype does work, it is not as efficient as the fictional suits and is bulkier in design.
Additionally, the prototype does not include the iconic tube that inserts into the wearer's nostrils, as seen in the more recent adaptations of the "Dune" series. Instead, a respirator is used to collect the wearer's breath, which is then passed over the thermoelectric cooler to condense the water vapor.
Overall, while the prototype does function as intended, it is not as advanced or efficient as the fictional stillsuits described in the "Dune" series. However, it is an impressive accomplishment given the limited time and resources used to create it.