New device harnesses the Sun's power to produce clean water.

Jonathan Liow with his invention.

Harnessing the power of the sun, an Australian university graduate has designed a simple, sustainable and affordable water-purification device with the potential to help eradicate disease and save lives.

The Solarball, developed as Jonathan Liow’s final-year project during his Bachelor of Industrial Design course at Monash University in Australia, can produce up to three litres of clean water every day. The spherical unit absorbs sunlight and causes dirty water contained inside to evaporate. As evaporation occurs, contaminants are separated from the water, generating drinkable condensation. The condensation is collected and stored, ready for drinking.

Liow says his design was driven by a need to help the 900 million people around the world who lack access to safe drinking water. Over two million children die each year from preventable causes, triggered largely by contaminated water. It is an increasing problem in developing nations due to rapid urbanisation and population growth.

The Solarball could change lives.

“After visiting Cambodia in 2008, and seeing the immense lack of everyday products we take for granted, I was inspired to use my design skills to help others,” Liow explains. His simple but effective design is user-friendly and durable, with a weather-resistant construction, making it well suited to people in hot, wet, tropical climates with limited access to resources.

“The challenge was coming up with a way to make the device more efficient than other products available, without making it too complicated, expensive, or technical,” Liow says.

Source: Monash University