YouTubers develop real-life 'Dune' stillsuit that recycles sweat and urine
What's the story
Engineers from the popular YouTube channel, Hacksmith Industries, have successfully created a prototype of the "stillsuit" from Frank Herbert's 1965 science fiction novel Dune. This suit is designed to preserve all of the body's moisture by recycling sweat and urine through a filter. The concept was vividly brought to life in the 2021 blockbuster movie adaptation of Dune and its sequel, where a tube inserted into the wearer's nostrils, replenished their water levels without an external source.
Suit design
Hacksmith's DIY stillsuit: A blend of simplicity and functionality?
The Hacksmith team's version of the stillsuit, while not as sleek as its fictional counterpart, effectively collects body moisture. The suit is essentially a Tyvek suit with an off-the-rack Dune costume worn over it. Team member Darryl Sherk was able to drink the collected moisture through a tube. "Everybody keeps thinking I'm drinking my own pee," Sherk humorously commented in their video.
Tech breakdown
The technology behind the real-life 'Dune' stillsuit
The technology used in the stillsuit is surprisingly simple, employing a thermoelectric cooler typically used to cool computers or other appliances. This cooler's cold side stays within the suit, attracting moisture in the trapped air similar to a dehumidifier. A drinking bladder as well as an in-line water filter collect the resulting water, enabling Sherk to drink it like using a straw.