California company Spout has launched a countertop kitchen gadget that transforms humidity from the air into drinking water, drawing on technology used by NASA.The atmospheric water generator is around the size of a large coffee machine and can produce 7.5 litres of water per day.This is achieved using a rotating desiccant wheel, also used in dehumidifiers, which removes water molecules from the air as it flows through the wheel's honeycomb structure.Spout was designed for at-home use"The ceramic honeycomb is a marvel of molecular engineering," SpoutCEO and co-founder Reuben Vollmer told Dezeen."Utilizing zeolites, a material with microscopic pores, it acts like a sponge, attracting and trapping water molecules from the air.""As it rotates, the honeycomb moves into a heated section, where the bonds holding the water are gently released, turning the captured vapor into liquid water through condensation."The machine traps water molecules from the airThe device is 38 centimetres tall and was designed to be placed on kitchen countertops. In average conditions, it can fill a 500-millilitre bottle in about an hour and a half, and produce up to 7.5 litres of water per day enough to meet the daily needs of a family of three.Spout's Los Angeles-based parent company hopes that the appliance will reduce the use of plastic bottles. Americans buy about 50 billion water bottles per year and plastic waste generation in the US is projected to surpass 140 million metric tons by 2060."At its core, it provides water independence, ensuring families always have access to a safe, endless supply of pure water without relying on plastic bottles or inconsistent municipal sources," Vollmer said.It produces 7.5 litres of water per daySpout works best if the humidity of the air is above 20 per cent, but it can still make water below that level. Ideally, the air humidity should be 40 per cent or more, the company said."We've designed Spout to work in as wide a range of temperatures and humidity as possible thanks to our patented process and our ceramic honeycomb wheel that absorbs water from air efficiently," Vollmer said.According to the company, the water produced by the Spout device is free from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), lead and microplastics, with the device generating "99 per cent pure drinking water directly from the air".Read: Laero develops at-home system for turning wastewater into drinking waterOnce the condensation has been turned into water, this is then re-mineralized with the help of a filter that draws on NASA technology."The filtration technologies in Spout are inspired by NASA's advancements in nanoceramic filtration," Vollmer said. "Originally developed for space missions, these filters use electropositive adsorption to capture particles, viruses, and contaminants at a nanoscale.""The filter's high surface area, precise pore structure, and molecular-level efficiency parallel NASA's innovations in creating lightweight, high-capacity systems for water purification in space."The device also filters airAs well as creating water, Spout also purifies the air around it using a two-layer filtration system, Vollmer said."First, a carbon felt layer absorbs volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and eliminates odors, ensuring cleaner, fresher air," he claimed."Then, a high-performance MERV air filter steps in to capture a wide range of airborne particles, including dust, smoke, bacteria and even viruses."Data compiled by SimpleLab, a third-party company specializing in water quality testing, shows that the water from Spout is purer than US tap water, according to Vollmer.The water is re-mineralised before it can be drunk"SimpleLab developed a comprehensive scoring system, ranging from 1 to 99, to evaluate water purity based on thousands of water quality tests conducted across the US," he explained."The average score for US tap water was determined to be 42 out of 99. In contrast, Spout's water achieved an impressive 98 out of 99 on the same scale," he added."By comparing these scores, Spout's water was calculated to be approximately 230 per cent purer than the average tap water."As cities are at risk of running out of drinking water and global demand for fresh water is set to exceed supply by 2030, a number of designers and architects are focusing on projects that can preserve and create water.US startup Laero has designed a water treatment system that can turn wastewater into drinking water, while the Rain Harvest Home in Mexico includes a system for capturing and reusing stormwater.The post Spout home appliance transforms air into "pure drinking water" appeared first on Dezeen.