The survival tent

Metropolis Next Generation finalists have designed products that could improve access to safe drinking water among disaster-affected populations.

One of them is Emilian Dan Cartis who is developing a water purifier that doubles as shelter to provide immediate relief to people in hard-to-reach areas.

The collapsible two-person tent functions like a solar still, using the sun's heat to turn dirty water into vapor that drips down the tent's sides and collects in sacks at the base. W-solo can produce up to six liters of potable water per day, enough to sustain survivors for days, or even weeks.

It folds into a compact buoyant container that could be delivered by air-dropping. Even during rescue missions, however, donated goods are subject to import tax, which could make W-solo too expensive to deploy, according to Gerald Martone at the International Rescue Committee. "It's a barrier to getting common goods into these regions, but a few countries relax their restrictions at the height of a disaster."

Cartis is looking for investor support to develop additional prototypes.

Via MetropolisMag.
See also Business Week's slideshow of Products That Can Save Lives.
Related: the LifeStraw.