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Segway inventor Dean Kamen has his own take on water purification, the Slingshot. His machine weighs 45 kg and can produce 1000 liters of clean water a day from really dirty water. The machine is a vapor compression distillation system that is powered by a Stirling engine. Stirling engines are small, efficient, and can use a wide variety of fuel sources. The engine produces waste heat that can be used to boil processed water, cooking or other purposes.

He also demonstrated a prototype Slingshot on The Colbert Report on 20 March 2008. The prototype cost at least US$100,000, but Kamen hopes to lower the production costs to US1000. The video is available at the show’s web site, Wired and Gizmodo, with a brief article about the machine. There’s more information at Wikipedia, Sentient Developments, RexResearch and sfgate.com

Pedal power

The video below describes the Aquaduct, a bicycle that also filters 8 liters of water. It’s an interesting concept that addresses transportation, fitness and public health concerns in developing countries.

The bicycle is designed for women, but anyone over the age of 12 could ride it comfortably. I have no idea of the tires are solid rubber or inflatable. Solid rubber tires would be much more durable on trails, of course.

This ZDnet article has some more information

This Business Week article includes a nice slideshow of some prototypes and new products.

The next iPod is rumored to have a full-panel display and a virtual click-wheel. There’s not much reason for a cell phone to have real buttons, especially since the screen could display any buttons needed.

Also, buttons are a key failure point in computer hardware. Dust and moisture can kill a device quickly.

Tech: Slashdot discusses various efforts to transform the Internet and the Web into common nouns. This is one of those things that information systems instructors have to monitor, silly as it seems. See Wired, two entries at Wikipedia, The Chicago Manual and this article on Joseph Turow.

World: According to Boing Boing, only 25% of condoms are used “properly” in India. India has been passing a billion free condoms each year, but resourceful indians use these prophylactics for portable water storage, waterproofing roads and roofs, convenient machinery lubrication, and gun barrel dust covers. So much for protecting the public health.

USA: My Florida and Georgia friends should buy some spam and candles. Load up on water. Bonnie and Charlie are coming your way.