Amphibio is a conceptual and prototype wearable device, associated with biomimicry designer Jun Kamei. This innovative garment functions as a gill, enabling humans to breathe underwater by extracting oxygen directly from the surrounding water. It presents a novel approach to aquatic exploration and interaction.
The Science Behind Amphibio
Amphibio’s design draws inspiration from aquatic insects, such as backswimmers and diving spiders. These creatures survive underwater by trapping a thin layer of air on their superhydrophobic skin, which acts as a natural gill for gas exchange. The device mimics this principle to facilitate underwater respiration.
The garment utilizes a specialized porous, hydrophobic material compatible with 3D printing. This material allows gases to pass through while repelling water, forming an air-filled structure. The current prototype consists of three multi-material 3D-printed rings worn around the neck, connected to a mask via a tube.
Oxygen extraction occurs due to differences in partial pressure. When oxygen concentration inside the gill is lower than in the surrounding water, oxygen molecules travel through the membrane into the gill, similar to osmosis. Simultaneously, carbon dioxide moves from the gill into the water, driven by a higher partial pressure inside the device.
Potential Applications and Impact
Amphibio holds several potential applications, particularly for recreational diving, offering a lighter alternative to traditional scuba gear. It aims to provide an intermediate solution between free diving and scuba diving, allowing users to stay underwater for extended periods with less equipment. This could enhance the accessibility and comfort of underwater exploration.
Beyond leisure, the technology could benefit professional underwater work, including marine biology research, underwater construction, and maintenance. Its design could reduce logistical complexities associated with current diving equipment, increasing efficiency and safety for those working in aquatic environments. The ability to breathe directly from water offers a continuous oxygen supply, differing from the finite air tanks used in scuba diving.
Amphibio’s conceptual impact extends to adapting human lifestyles to environments with rising sea levels. Designer Jun Kamei envisions a future where people might adopt semi-aquatic lifestyles, potentially inhabiting submerged cities. The device represents a step towards a more sustainable and integrated human interaction with aquatic environments, addressing future challenges posed by climate change.
Current Status and Future Outlook
Amphibio is currently a conceptual design and working prototype, not yet a commercial product. Lab tests have demonstrated its ability to extract oxygen and release carbon dioxide, using a test bladder filled with carbon dioxide submerged in a tank. However, the current prototype is not yet capable of producing enough oxygen to sustain human breathing.
Significant challenges remain for its practical implementation at a human scale. A gill with a surface area of at least 32 square meters, and potentially up to 80 square meters in practice, would be required to support human oxygen consumption underwater. The current prototype’s surface area is considerably smaller, necessitating further development to increase its efficiency and size.
Future research will focus on scaling up the design to support human-level breathing, utilizing 3D printing for intricate, high-surface-area structures. Ongoing improvements will also address aspects such as power sources, overall device size, and potential regulatory hurdles. The long-term vision for Amphibio involves facilitating a closer integration with aquatic environments.