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This is yet another of the fascinating inventions of Dune, a desert planet with no bodies of surface water at all. In this desiccated environment, even moisture is precious. Hence, the stillsuit, which reclaims the moisture lost by the body during the course of the day.
It is a very clever idea, but as far as I can tell, there are no efforts to take advantage of the basic idea. (Water being plentiful here on planet Earth.)
However, there is a lot of interest in the idea of recovering power from the human stride. Engineers who are interested in powering wearable computers have investigated the idea; check out Parasitic Power Harvesting in Shoes by some guys back in the lab at MIT. The study mentions that
Here are some other quotes from Dune that illustrate different aspects of the stillsuit:
...When he had tightened the chest to gain maximum pumping action from the motion of breathing, he had known what he did and why. When he had fitted the neck and forehead tabs tightly, he had known it was to prevent friction blisters...
...He found his stillsuit's watertube in its clip at his neck, drew a warm swallow into his mouth, and he thought that here he truly began an Arrakeen existence--living on reclaimed moisture from his own breath and body. It was flat and tasteless water, but it soothed his throat...
...Paul crouched at the sphincter, his stillsuit hood adjusted for the open desert--forehead capped, mouth filter in place, nose plugs adjusted. Only his dark eyes were visible: a narrow band of face that turned once toward her and away...
...I must remember to fasten the boots slip-fashion to help my stillsuit's pumping action, she thought...
Although it conjures up an odd image, water was held so dear on Dune that even domesticated animals needed help:
Finally, here's one more quote from Dune Messiah, the first sequel to the original novel.
It's interesting to note that the matter of "gait" is very important to Fremen, since repetitive motion creates vibration that attracts the gigantic sandworms of Dune.
The sophisticated stillsuits hint that the Fremen, a culture that prefers not to participate in the feudal culture of Dune, are not merely simple tribespeople.
Compare to the transkin from Parasite Planet (1935) by Stanley Weinbaum. See also Harvest Power From Stray Energy from The Golden Girl of Munan (1928) by Harl Vincent and the Fottengill process from Gypped (1956) by Lloyd Biggle. Comment/Join this discussion ( 9 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This | Additional
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Science Fiction
Timeline
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'What would you do,' Eric asked the robot cabdriver, 'if your wife had turned to stone, your best friend were a toad, and you had lost your job?'
Space Exporers! Now, You Can Drink Your Own Urine
'those suits they wear -- call them 'stillsuits' -- that reclaim the body's own water...'
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