Segway creator unveils his next invention a magic water purifier
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Segway inventor Dean Kamen announced his new invention a miracle water purifier. The device provides energy as well as purifies dirty water without filters. Kamen said this device can help wipe out 80% of human disease by providing clean water.
Dean Kamen showed his new invention, a Water Vapor Compress Distiller on last night’s Colbert Report. Kamen demonstrates the vapor compression distiller in the video, Colbert even adds Doritos to the dirty water to see how it works.
Not only it purified water but also provides energy. He wants to provide this for third world countries where an estimated 1.1 billion people don’t have access to clean drinking water and many die because of water borne diseases. Also, 1.6 billion don’t have adequate electricity. So, this device plans to solve both the problems. He told CNN: The water purifier makes 1,000 liters of clean water a day, and we don't care what goes into it. And the power generator makes a kilowatt off of anything that burns." He tested two machines in Bangladesh with the help of Iqbal Quadir, the founder of Grameen Phone, largest cell phone company in Bangladesh. Quadir is very impressed with the machines and soon plans to start manufacturing the machines with licensing from Kamen’s company. The generator of this machine can be powered by readily available local fuel, cow dung and can produce a kilowatt of electricity. It doesn’t look much but it is doing dual purpose generating electricity as well as filtering water. Even if it powers light bulbs it will help productivity in developing nations. Kamen will connect the water distiller called Slingshot to this generator and use some of the energy that is wasted by it to purify the water. The Slingshot takes in contaminated water (or raw sewage) and separates out the clean water by vaporization. Currently the machines costs about $100,000 but with mass production and better design they plan to cut it down to $1,000 to $2,000 per machine. Some of the main features of this Slingshot are: 1.) It is designed to supply a village with 1,000 liters/day of clean water 2.) You can use any water source, ocean, puddle, chemical waste site, hexavalent chrome, arsenic, poison, 50 gallon drum of urine 3.) The are no filters to replace, no charcoal, no anything disposable (just distillation) 4.) The Slingshot can use half the waste heat (450 watts) from a sterling engine electrical generator (prototype also being designed by Kamen's company) to boil its water 5.) Slingshot will be less then 60 lbs. 6.) The sterling engine, used as an electrical generator, can produce about 200 watts of power (it will never be more then 20% efficient) and 800 watts of waste heat. This waste heat is then used to purify the water.CommentsLoading...
Thanks funride, here is the patent for this product. http://tinyurl.com/2zcxwv
Yeah, I hope this idea catches on, esp. in 3rd world countries where good water is hard to find.
Thanks Wedding Consultant, there are too many cases of water borne diseases and many children die because of it. So clean water would be a boon to them.
Maybe they could install these in Mexico to "nip Montezuma's revenge in the butt." (pun intended)
:) I think we might be using this in US sometimes, my state is having drought problems, and it is getting worse.
I think he may hit a gap in the market with this innovation. The United States will buy these and then send them over to 3-rd world countries in the future. Brilliant.
Thanks Flashfire, with mass production, this could be useful. If they combine it with solar power third world countries can use them widely.
A brilliant idea well engineered
I agree, we need innovators like this.
Sounds like a good idea. Though I am a bit concerned that it didn't seem to address some of the waterborne parasites which can still cause a huge problem. Anybody out there familiar with the LifeStraw? - similar concept - much smaller scale - you can wear it around your neck and costs about a dollar - you can drink from a mud puddle if necessary.
Considering his last invention fell prey to a scathing parody by South Park I hope this fares better.
Dawn, I have heard about the Lifestraw, thats a novel one. Very cheap too. I think this has the means to control that waterborne parasites also. Along with power generation, this makes a good product, they can serve dual needs power + water, which is luxury for many of them in Africa and Asian regions.
This is amazing with huge potential--hope the price comes down soon as the world is gonna need it. Thanks for the information
Thanks Robie, the local water processing industries can also use a similar device could help them also.
Nice hub, dude! I really enjoyed reading it. Actually I was thinking; what if all the waters in the world will be polluted? What will happen to living creatures esp. humans? And as i read your hub it seems that i find a hope that even if we can't find good water the world, we can still drink one using that magic water purifier.
well done!
Thanks Harhis, nature does a great job filtering the water, but humans seems to pollute it more and more. We also have to help the nature instead of adding too many chemicals and pollutants into it.
I think that final mass version of this 'machine' is going to be even more effective. I hope, that somebody Big(such as: Google, IBM, Coca-Cola, etc.) is going to support the project, soon.
I agree, if Google or others are involved, this can be generated in large numbers.
Having lived and travelled in developing countries, I am very aware of how so many people do not have clean drinking water. Generating energy is a great bonus, and the combination of water and energy could make a real difference in many people's lives. I hope this project is able to move forward in a meaningful way. Thanks for this hub - I love learning something new!
Thanks Silver, we need more efforts like this worldwide, too bad we can't even provide clean water for everyone.
where can i purchase a slingshot purifier?
Someone has agreed to fund this project for me, but i have been trying to find out where i can purchase this contraption. Does anyone have any leads. i taking a trip to Africa March 2009, and would be interested in taking one down there with me.
Kudzi and Lya, they are not available commercially yet. You can try other water purifiers in the mean time.
You can try the portable water filter like Zero Water or Pur Water Filter.
http://www.zerowater.com/Shop/
http://www.purwater.com/#/healthy%20water,%20healthy%20you
Another great hub. Btw this statement is little intriguing for me "$100,000 but with mass production and better design they plan to cut it down to $1,000 to $2,000 per machine"
Now even if we talk of 500$ profit per machine what kind of economies of scale are we talking about if the cost can be come down so dramatically. I am sure the inventor isn't expecting a Billion units sales per year.
Countrywomen, he has made enough money, so he doesn't really care about that. But he wants it for poor countries, hopefully he will develop that cheaply.
brilliant idea well engineered
Well in that case it does make sense. But somehow without some profits even charity can't be sustained for a long time. I surely hope this will help a lot of folks solve their basic problems. In many parts of India now solar lamps are spreading the light. We need more philanthropists in the world. Great hub to highlight a kindhearted inventor.
Fantastic innovation but what about the price factor? I don't want to sound like a skeptic but do you really think it's going to be a long lasting thing?
Thanks Lgali.
Countrywomen, I agree we need more entrepreneurs like him. There are plenty of organizations who are doing it in a small way. I am involved in Kiva.org, we are helping poor businessmen and women worldwide. There is also Heifer.org who is doing a great job helping the poor. Also, there is a new one Playingforchange.com, who are slowly helping artists and others. http://www.playingforchange.com/ We need more like them.
Anjalichugh. Thanks. Initially the price may be high but I am sure they will be able to work it out in the long run. I think so, it will be of immense help.
Cgull8m- Yes we need to create awareness. We have to admire people like Bill Gates & Warren Buffet who bequeath their entire life's earnings to charitable causes. Playingforchange is a nice organization working for AIDS cause in Africa. I donated last year some money for eye operations to be conducted free for poor people in India: http://www.sankaranethralaya.org/
Thats wonderful Countrywomen, I would like to donate some money to India also. I will bookmark that article and donate some, that is a great one. One of my friend in Mumbai are doing a similar operation, they have a mobile hospital and charge 5 Rupees and use money from donors to pay for the expenses. I will write about it soon. Now they are starting an hospital in Maharashtra.
Well I don't know why the media doesn't glorify such people. Usually the TV channels focus on the celebrities expensive cars, houses, yachts or private planes but very few mention about the charitable acts. It is a moral responsibility on each one of us towards fellow human beings who are still struggling with even basic things like water, food, shelter, clothing, minimum health facilities and basic education opportunities. It is nice to see so many like you who are aware and actively working to make a difference to this world. I am looking forward to that hub.
Thanks Countrywomen, you also be the same. We have to do our parts. We can't turn a blind eye on them, because who knows there may an Einstein, Newton or Shakespeare among them.
Cheers to the next Einstein, Newton or Shakespeare. And also big cheers to people like Cgull8m who made this possible.
Thanks Countrywomen, long way to go for me, hopefully will be able to do in a big way in the near future. Cheers :)
Wow why is this invention not taking the world by storm!?
Sounds like a fantastic device, surprised this is the first I have heard of it.
good hun
Thanks Apeksha.
I have done a good bit of research on this unit .....have been following it's progress for close to 10 yrs. Plans for it's sales involve a partnership w/ a specially formed U.S. based subsidiary of Gramenphone and Deka. Gramen plans to offer micro loans on sling shots, & franchises on light bulbs, to 'qualified' parties throughout the country side of India allowing them to make money and charge their new cell phones. They'll create a new economy in nowhere land. Great idea for hurricane prone areas too.
Thanks Gary, please do write it and post it in a blog or your website, would love to read more about this. It has excellent potential, the government should work with him and try to create this product as soon as possible for third-world countries.
I was so happy to read of this invention. Every year, instead of giving Christmas presents, we make a donation to the Heifer Project. I think this deserves to be it's own 'project'.
Well done Carebear, we do the same donate to Kiva.org . I am glad you guys are doing this. Cheers.
this is going to save so many lives. amazing
Thanks Water Delivery for your comment. I hope they mass produce it and distribute them to the poor countries.
Where did Dean invent the slingshot
Manatoba, thanks, he invented it in the US.
I'm a huge fan of Dean Kamen and his work. He's done a great job inspiring people around the world to become inventors and he's produced a few important inventions either himself, or through his group. Thanks for sharing.
I 'm sure this is going to be huge. As the shortage of fresh water increases, relative costs to find ways of creating fresh water will become negligible and this must therefore be a no brainer in the future. It's so important this is financed to succeed. If a company was set-up to market and produce these, surely an IPO/ share offering would raise sufficient capital to produce on mass, therebye reducing price and affordability, increasing sales orders and so on.
I'd happily invest if the company floated. Great concept, smart design and exceptional ongoing demand. This surely must succeed. Goodluck! although luck I'm sure will have nothing to do with it.
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this is a great achievement!
Wow amazing
how can i get one
For mobile portable plants that produce drinking water for small villages contact Linton at linton@lintonpaul.com
Dean Kamen is the man. I can see this purifier solving much problems. Hope the costs can be sliced and this one does get popular with the masses.
How can i get this product in INDIA.I want to buy this Machine.Can you give me any Solution stated above.?
this is a really .. no words left. it is fabulous!!!!!!!! whoever created this is a geniius... GENIUS! Go Einstein's great, great, great, great, great...etc. I, love you. YA!
I think this was very usefull
its okay i guess
cool
funride Level 1 Commenter 3 years ago
Great invention! Be able to filtrate 1,000 liters of water per day and at the same time generate electric power it´s a great achievement. Lets hope mass production can start as soon as possible. Thanks for sharing this with us ;)