Science fiction draws inspiration from real life. Then, it becomes a part of our reality as films and books. The Dune “Stillsuit” is one that turned into a real-life prototype.
The Stillsuit is the full-body vest common among the characters in the movie, Dune. It recycles the body’s and the environment’s moisture to keep people hydrated.
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On May 17, 2024, the YouTube channel Hacksmith Industries recently recreated the fictional clothing. The real-life counterpart isn’t as effective as the sci-fi one, but it is still an interesting project.
How does real-life Dune Stillsuit work?
Frank Herbert released his Dune novel series in 1965. The books take place on the planet Arrakis, which was home to the desert-dwelling Fremen.
They wore specialized vests called “stillsuits” that capture and recycle nearly all bodily fluids. These include sweat, urine, feces, and moisture from one’s breath.
The Hacksmith Industries team implemented a few limitations to their Dune stillsuit. First, their version does not filter water from urine and feces.
Second, it had different parts, such as a facemask attached to a tube instead of the nostril cords in the film.
The intrepid engineers started with a waterproof bag-suit. Then, they installed a heat exchanger in the back that draws power from a small LiPo (Lithium polymer) battery.
This setup creates a cold surface on the suit’s interior. It condenses humidity so that water may drip down into a bottle.
The team attached a one-way filter mask to a tube so the wearer could breathe in fresh, filtered air. Then, breathing out sends warm, moist air into the suit’s cold surface to harvest condensed water.
The catchment bottle feeds into a CamelBak bladder. Then, the latter’s nozzle goes into the mask with a four-stage water filter that lets the wearer drink safely.
The final suit isn’t as form-fitting as the sci-fi Dune stillsuit but works to a degree. However, it can only harvest moisture from humidity at the back of the wearer’s neck.
Nevertheless, it is a fun project that is similar to NASA’s developing technology. Another Inquirer Tech article reported that the space agency turned 98% of wastewater into a potable liquid.