A new approach to atmospheric water harvesting uses a high voltage to collect moisture from the air in arid regions, even when it is not particularly humid.
The system, based on a 2018 scientific paper, saw a successful small-scale test that collected 40ml of water in five minutes using an applied voltage of 35kV.
A larger version was then designed and tested, producing 14ml of water per Wh in a humidified terrarium.
The next step is to test the system in a real desert environment, with the team hoping it will collect a comparable amount of water.
If successful, the simple and efficient system could provide a steady supply of water in arid regions where traditional water supplies are insufficient or nonexistent.
