If you're not familiar with Dune lore, the Fremen stillsuits recycle the body's water (including breath, sweat, and urine) so efficiently that the wearer "won't lose more than a thimbleful of moisture a day" in the unforgiving climate of the desert planet Arrakis.
But is the stillsuit merely science fiction or can it be made for real.
The mad lads at Hacksmith Industries decided to find out, with a ONE DAY build.
They used a system of thermoelectric coolers, which are essentially dehumidifiers, and are used to cool electronics. They work by sending electricity through two different kinds of metal; one gets hot, the other cold.
Just like your glass of ice water, the two different temperatures condense the water in the air and cause condensation on the outside of the glass.
By putting the cool side inside the suit and using a mask to send the wearer's breath back inside, they were able to trap some of the moisture from his sweat and breath and filter it into drinkable water.
Someone needs to tell Bear Grylls about this!
How did it stand up to the Fremen stillsuits?
Not great, but it's a start.
Here's what Frank Herbert imagined:
It's basically a micro-sandwich — a high-efficiency filter and heat-exchange system. The skin-contact layer's porous. Perspiration passes through it, having cooled the body ... near-normal evaporation process. The next two layers ... include heat exchange filaments and salt precipitators. Salt's reclaimed. Motions of the body, especially breathing and some osmotic action provide the pumping force. Reclaimed water circulates to catchpockets from which you draw it through this tube in the clip at your neck ... Urine and feces are processed in the thigh pads. In the open desert, you wear this filter across your face, this tube in the nostrils with these plugs to ensure a tight fit. Breathe in through the mouth filter, out through the nose tube. With a Fremen suit in good working order, you won't lose more than a thimbleful of moisture a day ...
Maybe they'll spend more than a day making the next iteration.
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