Source: AFP
Technology aimed at fighting climate change and even pulling fresh water from the air drew crowds as the annual CES gadget extravaganza showed off its green side.
As calls to fight climate change escalate, tech companies are finding ways to help, according to organizers of the Consumer Electronics Show, which wraps up in Las Vegas on Friday.
Genesis Systems was at the show with a first-of-its-kind WaterCube — about the size of a central air conditioning unit — that draws water from the air so efficiently that it could provide all the water a home needs.
“Our first mission is to sustainably solve global water scarcity,” said David Stuckenberg, who founded Genesis with his wife, Shannon.
“Once you hook it up to your house … you can turn off (from) city water.”
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In places where wells and aquifers have dried up, the WaterCube can extract water from the air using its unique process, he explained.
The decision to become a “water entrepreneur” came from hearing farmers complain about their wells going dry and from serving in the U.S. military in the Middle East as nations there sought new sources of precious water, according to Stuckenberg.
“One of the challenges we face in terms of making humanity sustainable is the things we need for life,” he told AFP.
“Next to air, water is the most important thing.”
Trillions of tons of unused water are in the air, and one of the results of a warming planet is more water vapor in the atmosphere, Stuckenberg said.
Water in the air is quickly replenished, creating “an infinite source of water” that the WaterCube taps into at scale, he explained.
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“We’re democratizing water supply,” Stuckenberg said.
His Florida-based company is also trying to incorporate carbon capture features into the WaterCube, as one step in that process already involves drying the air stream, he said.
Sea screens with mussels
Source: AFP
Small companies like MolluScan from France were at CES with their own innovative approaches to protecting the environment.
MolluScan wires marine mussels or clams with sensors to detect pollution in waterways or oceans, sharing findings with companies or regulators — saving water sampling time and expense.
“You’re pushing industries to improve the environment,” MolluScan co-founder Ludovic Quinault told AFP.
The mollusk-based pollution detectors, known as molluSCAN-eye, have been deployed in the North Pole, Tahiti and elsewhere, according to Quinault.
Companies at CES also reported increased product use of recycled or sustainable materials and energy-saving features along with more efficient batteries and solar power generation systems.
French automotive equipment supplier Forvia explained how it uses hemp, wood, pineapple and other organic materials in its designs.
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Meanwhile, British-based Matter — whose backers include Hollywood stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Ashton Kutcher — has debuted filtration technology to capture the harmful flood of tiny plastic fibers that are commonly released into wastewater from the washing machines.
Ambient Photonics, whose early investors included Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, has unveiled a solar cell capable of charging from indoor lighting, eliminating the need for batteries in the devices.
“Connected electronics require continuous power, which very often comes from disposable or rechargeable batteries,” said Photonics CEO Bates Marshall.
South Korean conglomerate SK Group devoted its exhibition to playfully presenting how environmentally friendly technologies could bring about a happier future.
Visitors could ride a hydrogen-powered train or go for a βmagic carpet rideβ in a clean energy vehicle guided by artificial intelligence.
The idea is for the telecom, chip and energy powerhouse to encourage others in the industry to join its mission to be carbon neutral, according to Ah Cho at the SK booth.
Source: AFP