The Beetle Bottle
IED Barcelona – Student: Abdelaziz Moustafa
Academic year
2024/2025
‘The Beetle Bottle’ is a compact, modular bottle designed to provide reliable access to water in extreme desert conditions, particularly in Egypt, where high nighttime humidity allows for passive dew collection. Its mechanism is inspired by the Namib desert beetle, an insect known for its ability to extract moisture from the air and survive in arid environments.
The bottle consists of three main modules: a durable aluminum upper section, a 1.7-litre central water storage chamber, and a lower compartment housing a compact inflatable structure made of hydrophilic polyurethane film. When deployed, the inflatable structure forms a raised ring that supports a lightweight fabric funnel, designed to maximise exposure to humid air and direct condensed dew towards the central container. The height difference between the outer and central rings ensures efficient water flow to the storage area.
Key technical features include a custom unscrewable ring that snaps shut for an airtight seal, a mouth valve for inflation, and an integrated compartment for the pegs used to secure the system to the sand.
‘The Beetle Bottle’ is designed to operate completely off-grid, making it an ideal solution for campers, explorers, and field researchers working in remote areas. It is a robust, self-sufficient product designed to meet real-world environmental challenges.
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