If you get stranded in the middle of the ocean this life raft and water purifier could save your life!

Images: jamesdysonaward.org

We’ve all heard horror stories of how people get stranded at sea in a tiny life raft with nothing to eat or drink. The plastic raft is usually in shambles, it has no cover from the hot sun and there’s only a matter of time before it’s sucked down by the sharks that are encircling it.  Well my friends, there’s a new safer, more reliable life raft in town, and it could definitely save your life.  It’s called the SeaKettle, and it was selected as a finalist for the James Dyson Awards.

This futuristic peapod-looking life raft is one of the coolest inventions around because it provides two things in one: safety and drinking water.  The entire life raft is covered by a large yellow canopy that provides shelter from the hot sun.  The canopy also doubles as a water purification system.  The description from the Dyson Awards website says: “The process involves pumping sea water up to a Gortex covered reservoir, where the water is subject to evaporation. The evaporated water then hits the top canopy and condenses, filling the four pockets around the raft with fresh drinking water. The Gortex cover over the reservoir allows the vapor molecules to escape, but holds in the larger liquid molecules, preventing the pockets of fresh water from becoming contaminated by the sea water.”

Here are some pictures of the SeaKettle:

This “ultimate life raft” produces enough desalinated water to keep 5 passengers fully hydrated.  So, what do you think of it?