Fresh Ideas at Work

The Beetle That Inspired A Life Saving Solution

November 8, 2011 at 9:07 pm Leave a comment

Edward Linnacre plumbed the Fresh Ideas strategy ‘Relocate Good Ideas’ when he was inspired by the behavior of the Namib Desert beetle.  This beetle survives by collecting droplets of moisture on its outstretched wings in the early-morning fog.

Recognizing that even the driest air in the driest deserts contains water molecules, Ed created a low tech AirDrop Irrigation that rural farmers can install and maintain.

• A turbine intake collects and drives air underground
• through piping that cools the air until it becomes condensation;
• the water droplets are stored in an underground tank
• and pumped through to the roots of crops via underground drip-irrigation hosing.

In areas where yearly rainfall is only a couple of inches, this can be a literal life saver.

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