But will it blend?

The presence of readily available potable water throughout the world would save tens of millions of lives in a short period of time, but someone has to finance production and distribution of these things. That brings me to the question of who the hell would donate to such a noble cause when OLPC is aruond?? Avoiding Malaria is far less important than computing.

Well ... drinking water from urine is a lot easier then water from salt water/or normal not cleaned well water...

basically urine is very salty water with a few other ingredients but it is sterile.

@Claystil: The guy is a multibillionaire, even after the flop of the segway, and I'm sure MANY charities will be interested.

@Ghede: all they need is Bono.

Damn nice... Seriously...

This could be a big deal. Unlike that segway crap.

@Redwraithvienna:
Exactly. Also is actually good for you depending on your diabetic conditions unfiltered.

hmmm... can that purify blood?

god bless dean kamen

Actually, as it was described in the whole interview, this device can make water from ANYTHING!! Seriously, you can put anything that in it and it will make water.

I was hoping they would say how much the thing is going to cost.

Was this before or after Colbert announced his production of AquaColbert?

Honestly, this could be the greatest invention for the third world this decade.

All they need now is to bring electricity to the villages. Next invention... electricity made from urin.

If he can get this distributed on a widespread basis, then Dean Kamen and his cohorts deserve nothing less than a Nobel Peace Prize.

@MIKEAWESOME: After. I was watching this last night, and it was hilarious. Colbert just kept going at each biologist or water specialist, criticizing their facts and methods.

in-freakin-sane.

I wonder what happens to the containments... do they stay in the machine to get disposed when it gets full, or do they get pumped out another hose? I can't wait to hear more about this.

Someone forward this to Bill Gates.

Watch the whole episode: [www.comedycentral.com]

It was a good one. It's really respectable how often Colbert has scientists on his show.

2 Questions:

1. Where does the non-water come out? Basically there's all that crap in the water, it has to come out somewhere? (Possibly the little jar in the bottom left of the front?)

2. Could this be weaponized into the thing from Tank Girl that the bad guy sticks in the minions neck?

@godai: More questions:

1. What does it require in terms of expendables? Replacment filters? Other chemicals? A lot of electricity?

2. What's the rate at which one of these units generates water? Will one unit supply enough water for one person? A family of 4? A village of 50?

3. What sort of general purpose maintenance is required? Is it the sort of thing that an uneducated person can do or would it require somebody with a college degree to do properly?

Wait...it turns cherry Kool-Aid into water? I'm in!

Pretty Amazing achievement, couldnt NASA also utilize this for trips to mars?

Wow. That's really impressive. Here's to hoping it's cheap to mass-produce.

@DangerousDac: Uh...you kind of have to start with liquid. Mars = No Liquid

@GoatMonkey: Let's assume DangerousDac isn't a moron. He was probably talking about about using it in the ship to recycle water.

@DangerousDac: This device might need gravity to work. Then again, there's always centrifugal force when you need it. I'm not sure how they currently filter the water on the ISS, could be something like this already.

@Claystil Every time I hear Bono's name, I think of the bit on South Park where he's just running through destitute African villages just pointing at people and going "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!!!"

The world is a much, much better place because of that. Lemme tell ya. =P

I wonder how much they cost to manufacture. Id like to put one in my truck just in case of a zombie outbreak. Always got to be prepared for the zombies.

RE: IphtashuFitz at 02:11 PM

In regards to your #1 and #2 questions, he answered them in the full interview.

It does not require any replacements (filters, etc.). It can clean 1000 liters of water per day.

And one single clip from a goddamn comedy show has restored a bit of my faith in humanity.

This is fucking beautiful. Kudos, Mr. Kamen.

@snakepliskin: HELLZ yea. Thats the only thing that really scares the crap out of me.

The only thing I hate about Giz is that sometimes it is impossible to tell fact from farce. (I'm guessing that since this was on Colbert its the latter.)

or not

I'm gonna sound like a real fucking asshole now. They already have trouble putting food in peoples mouths. Now we'll have even bigger populations in 3rd world countries going hungry. Solving one problem just brings on another.

How does this one work differently than other vapor compression distillers? 'Cause if he's trying to make us believe that he invented the technology (I don't have audio on this PC, so I don't know what he's saying), he's full of himself. Just google "Vapor Compression Distiller" and you'll see what I mean.

My friend wants to know if this will filter blood into drinkable water.

@IphtashuFitz: According to the interview, no chemicals & no filters. RTFA, man.

My question is.... How?

Wow. Just wow. This is up there with the invention of sanitation and antibiotics. Kamen could be responsible for saving a billion lives.

Good for him, he deserves all the credit and respect in the world.

Oh, and: Why didn't someone invent this before now?

Does the filtered water meet any first world drinking standard?

@BoinK:
people can't farm if they're sick.

well it will def need power. time to put all those potato clocks to work.
the amount of energy needed to convert water from liquid to steam form will require a decent supply of energy. one common form is heat from fire.
also if it is a compressor then it needs more power for that.

so now we need to drop off a generator to that village, including a supply of fuel (it will be a bio-diesel generator), a crew to train people on how to use it, hope it doesn't break, and a way to dispose of whatever waste it leaves behind.

i like his part about arsenic from indian wells, does that mean we will have the renewable supply of arsenic that we've been waiting for?

@mfaerber: Agree. He has spent many millions through his foundation to stamp out malaria. The trade off would be to slap a M$ logo and somehow incorporate the Red Ring of Death.

I'll be interested when we can turn water into beer.

And the best part is all the sludge and waste that it filters out of the water can be used to make handy dandy chemical weapons!

@hammertime94: It's real, duh.

No one has made a Dune reference yet?

What is new about this?

@Ounce: Just noticed that. Quite surprised, actually, since almost everyone here is probably a hardcore geek of some sort. I'm ashamed I didn't think of it myself.

WE ALL FAIL.

@jonny: I asked basically the same question a few screens up, but it seems nobody noticed. This man isn't Edison, folks; he didn't invent anything new.

I love it when people do/invent things that benefit so much of humanity. As recent studies suggest, the world's water supply is diminishing rapidly and water like food, will be available to the highest bidder. Since this thing can apparently put out 1,000 litres a day,it has great potential, but needs power to function. I hope they explore means of supplying power (ie. wind/solar power; hell even a pygmy on a bycyle generator to make this thing work in distraught places).
The downside is the political/philanthropic will to make it happen. So much of the world's problems are a result of greed and mismanagement. On this basis there is not much basis for optimism despite the good intentions/possibilities we have seen in the past.

If the water contains volatils organic compounds (gasoline, benzene, TCE), this machine will not "clean it". there is nothing magical here: Its a distiller and a condenser. If a compound in the water will boil at a temperature lower than water, it will be in the water that you drink. Low energy use, sure, great. However, its not gonna solve the problem of contaminated water. Even the ammonium in the urine will be, to some extent, in the water you drink.

@CajunGuy: Given Kamen's previous interest in Sterling engines, and the way they work on differences in temperature, I'd guess there's one in there somewhere.

I mean there isn't any way to get something for nothing, but maybe he's got it helping out somehow.

I am in for a Buy 1 Give 1 if this comes to market...

Well, I could just live forever too.

But I shure hope Kamen produces on of those for everyone who needs it... for free of course.

@CajunGuy: Why are you guys hung up on whether or not this is new. He just developed the technology over 5 years into this usable form. He is trying to save lives (and make money). Give him a break.

@BoinK: @nutbastard:
yeah, this was my concern as well. Ok, we've got all of these people in the world that can now drink clean water. Awesome. They won't die of thirst. Are there going to be larger versions to make water for irrigation out of sludge and sewage? Are each one of these villages going to receive two enormous containers - one for clean water and the other for collection of the hell-waste?

Can this be solar powered? If not, would this require gridjuice or would a portable generator be sufficient? Could this be pedal powered?

Great job Dean, more power to you. Dont forget your civic duty to make it affordable for everyone.

@darrinjc: Most organic compounds are not water soluble, therefore they will form a different layer when present in quantities of water. Specifically Benzene is nonpolar so it is not soluble in water.

Yeah, but what are we going to do with the extra tens of millions of people who won't be dying from disease or dehydration? Does he have a box that turns shit and garbage into sandwiches?