The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed a device that extracts water from the air at record speed. The new method makes it possible to release moisture from sorbents — materials that absorb water — 45 times faster by using ultrasound instead of traditional heating, which takes a long time and requires significant resources.
The technology is based on the vibrations of an ultrasonic actuator — a ceramic ring that transmits high-frequency oscillations to the sorbent. These oscillations break the molecular bonds between the water and the material, effectively turning the moisture into droplets. The droplets then pass through microscopic holes and enter special reservoirs.
In laboratory tests, the device dried small samples in just minutes while consuming a minimal amount of energy. It can run on a small solar panel.
In an era when climate change and resource scarcity are becoming increasingly acute problems, such solutions are gaining special value. Perhaps in the near future, the question of where to get water will be solved with a simple press of a button — right at home.
