Fontus self-filling bottle condenses humid air into drinking water

the fontus self-filling water bottle by kristof retezar, collects the moisture contained in air and condenses it as safe drinking H2O. the device harvests up to 0,5 liters in an hour when under the right climatic conditions. it is useful for long bike journeys as well as in world regions where freshwater is scarce yet humidity is high. The bottles can be turned into a vertical position and loosened divided-in-two peltier element cooler is powered by solar cell energy to cool down the upperside and heat the bottom. wind enters the lower section at high speed and cools it down. the air then moves to the upper chamber where it is stopped by little perforated walls in order to separate the particles. the droplets then flow through a pipe to be stored in a container.

0,5l can be generated in an hour whilst in humid conditions, trial and testing was an important part of ‘fontus’ self-filling H2O bottle’s development. ‘after more than 30 experiments, I finally achieved a constant drop-flow of one drop of condensed water per minute. after developing a functioning inner system, I designed a compact and practical hull which can be easily attached to a bicycle, integrates the water bottle and can be comfortably handled.’ said kritstof for the james dyson awards. The device is helpful for long bike journeys diagram of how the air condenses and harvests water molecules

Will Dyson wipe the floor?

ROBOTIC vacuum cleaners, generally, are not news. Electronics companies such as iRobot, LG and Neato Robotics already make their own versions. Yet even the best on the market offer enormous scope for improvement—and the worst little in the way of suction power. Last September Consumer Reports, an American magazine, even warned purchasers to think twice about buying one. But on September 4th, Dyson, a company famous for its bagless vacuum cleaners, announced in Tokyo that it was launching its first robotic model, the Dyson 360 Eye. It will be available in Japan from early next year.

Dyson has so far remained firmly out of the robotic market, despite 16 years of research in the area. It came close to launching a robotic vacuum cleaner in 2001, but the company pulled the device from production at the last moment. James Dyson, the firm's founder, decided the model was too expensive and heavy to be of interest to most consumers. But since then the company has improved the power output of its robotic cleaner and has reduced the size of its motors and other components. The firm has also managed to marry new technology with academic expertise, by working with researchers at Imperial College London. The final result is a cleaner that Dyson says has more suction power than any other robotic vacuum on the market.

The sleek device has a number of innovations that, Dyson claims, put it far ahead of its competitors. Its vision system, with a 360° panoramic camera, allows it to see where it has cleaned in a room and what it has left to do, unlike its competitors which roam about in a seemingly random fashion in the hope that they will eventually cover the entire floor. This means it can clean a given area much faster by prioritising the places it has not yet covered. It also has tank tracks, rather than wheels, which allow it to climb rugs and small obstacles such as carpet edges (see picture). There is even an app to activate the device remotely.

As a result, the Eye is likely to be an expensive, high-end product. This will limit its sales in many places, where the market for vacuum cleaners is ruthlessly price competitive. But the technology-mad Japanese, with their tiny apartments, are likely to be keen. Moreover, if consumers agree that Dyson has managed to create an exceptionally good robotic vacuum, it could expand the market in America—a country which has so far shown limited interest in domestic robots. And even if the new model fails to produce much in the form of direct profits, the smart little device may whip up a storm of interest which will help Dyson promote its other household appliances, such as cyclone vacuum cleaners, washing machines and heaters. But Dyson will be hoping for more than just a whirlwind of publicity: it hopes the Eye will wipe the floor with the competition.