Austrian startup Fontus is developing a novel water bottle that is vaporware in just about every sense of the phrase. It’s a self-filling water bottle that actually turns air into drinkable water by using the condensation of the humidity which is contained in the air. It was designed by Kristof Retezar, a designer based in Vienna, whose intention was to provide more than one billion people around the world, in water-scarce areas, with clean drinking water.
Basically, when humid air flows into the contraption, it hits a series of hydrophobic ‘teeth’ which help turn the water vapor into actual water droplets. What’s even better is that it’s completely solar powered, and has a device attached to it that helps keep bugs and dust out. Unfortunately, at this time it cannot filter out potentially harmful contaminants.
The company claims the bottle, which it plans to release in two models – the Airo and the cycling-specific Ryde – can produce 0.5 quarts (0.5 liters) in a single hour.