It's fascinating how a really simple idea can change life as we know it. Today I read this news via slashdot about a new startup NBD nano, that is building a device that can extract water from air. The most interesting part is its implications and applications.
we can somehow have a way to tap into one of the largest reservoirs of water, and that being the air … And we see this being applicable to anything from marathon runners to people in third world countries, because we realize that water is such a large issue in the world today … We're actually investigating a type of device that can be used for drip irrigation. And we are looking to incorporate this in greenhouses or green roofs in the immediate future … We actually see the maritime environment as really a very large market for us because humidity is actually constantly regenerated over a large body of water and then we can pull that humidity from the air to support people who possibly take long trips on yachts, or provide a sort of potable water source that can be run off a solar panel while at sea.
And the underlying technology seems convincing. Amazing stuff!