James Dyson Award winner and runners-up 2011 – Airdrop overcomes drought inspired by a beetle


Engineering, not magic: the 2011 winner of the James Dyson Award extracts water from thin air. Airdrop is a low cost, self powered, and easy to install solution to the problems of growing crops in arid regions. Inspired by Australia’s worst drought in a century, Edward Linacre from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, turned to nature to find ways of capturing moisture from air. Edward studied the Namib beetle, an ingenious species which lives in one of the driest places on earth. With half an inch of rain per year, the beetle can only survive by consuming the dew it collects on the hydrophilic skin of its back in the early mornings. Airdrop borrows this concept, working on the principle that even the driest air contains water molecules which can be extracted by lowering the air’s temperature to the point of condensation. It pumps air through a network of underground pipes, to cool it to the point at which the water condenses. Delivering water directly to the roots of plants. Edward’s research suggests that 11.5 millilitres of water can be harvested from every cubic meter of air in the driest of deserts. Further iterations of his design will increase the yield of Airdrop. A further £10000 has also be awarded to Edward’s university department to support other young engineers keen to follow in his footsteps.

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18 Responses to James Dyson Award winner and runners-up 2011 – Airdrop overcomes drought inspired by a beetle

  1. ahmd1431 says:

    A video clip of the very influential American preacher Yusuf Estes

    youtube.com/v/5J-9dn3_hpY&rel=0&autoplay=0&color1=bdbdbd&color2=bdbdbd&border=0

  2. mikecat23 says:

    there is a better one but can’t post the link it’s in NibiruMagick2012 youtube home page under new wind power turbine can triple… well worth a look. The guy himself is another story.

  3. mikecat23 says:

    Look up.. Nuovi impianti eolici FloDesign Wind Turbine ..under youtube

  4. mikecat23 says:

    have to say his vacuum cleaner idea was brill. He for the great man that he is missed a great idea with his (or was it) fan. Look at the new wind power generators.They can generate at least twice the power of the old propelled ones by putting an similar type ring around them. He missed the true winner with the bladeless fan

  5. mikecat23 says:

    Oh I just noticed it was in the 1800′s

  6. mikecat23 says:

    This video has to be the most upsetting ones I have seen on youtube. A bullshit idea winning an award by this guy whom I think is great.

  7. mikecat23 says:

    I think it’s a nothing invention and I’m one that believes in science big time. The system has to pump the water through the system. What is the cost to run this. Even if using solar how much will it cost? Food has to be way cheaper . Grow it where it grows naturally and in that part of the world live off it. This notion about us needing every type of food around is mad.

  8. mikecat23 says:

    I’d like to see more about this . I think by the size of it it would amount to nothing . What is the cost of an up scaled version?

  9. SuperLordJesusChrist says:

    Excellent! :)

  10. chuck7667 says:

    awesome way to go.

  11. boxpilot says:

    i’m sure ALL the entries weren’t very worthwhile

  12. Deadnature says:

    anyone notice the phallic resemblance of the airdrop.

    nevertheless, kudos for him! 

  13. PSPhacking2009 says:

    wow that is awesome

  14. DaddyFabalus says:

    obvious troll is obvious

  15. Dallas8844 says:

    Be interesting to see how well it does. The cost per unit would have to be mighty low for it to be useful.

  16. tri400 says:

    can Sir Dyson please put Airdrop into production!

  17. MrDrogosan says:

    Amazing work

  18. elmergamez says:

    Amazing invention I am waiting for the test how much water can get to start to make numbers about farming, agriculture, and rural living nice

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