(With Peter Yeadon, Ben Po Cheng, Florence Grace-Castonguay, Sitarah Lakhani, David Li)
This biodesign project develops and prototypes an innovative atmospheric water generator (AWG) that leverages Hydroxypropyl Cellulose (HPC) — a hygroscopic biocomposite material — to extract liquid water from low-humidity air environments. Sitting at the intersection of biodesign, materials science, and sustainable infrastructure, the project engineers HPC into a structured harvesting membrane that passively captures ambient moisture and channels it into a collection system, minimizing energy input while maximizing environmental compatibility. The process moves from material performance testing across varying humidity conditions through to a fully functional prototype, culminating in a field test and public demonstration in New York City. Deliverables include the working prototype, performance data, and documentation — positioning bioderived materials as viable, scalable tools in the global water security conversation and demonstrating that sustainable biodesign innovation can meaningfully address real urban infrastructure needs.