Survive the Post Apocalypse with Artificial Organs

When Japanese design studio Takram was tasked with designing a better water bottle, it instead opted to transform the human body. Takram wanted to create a water bottle for post-apocalyptic scenarios – situations in which water will be scarce. But rather than re-invent the water bottle the studio thought it would be better to modify the way the human body regulates and recycles water. The result is the Shenu Hydrolemic System a set of artificial organs. The idea is to enable humans to survive longer with less water. The system consists of Rubedo candies to provide nutrients to the user as well as sinus cavity inserts to inhibit water loss through exhailation, arterial-jugular heat exchangers and a heat irradiant neck collar to inhibit perspiration, a urine concentrator to control water loss through urination, and a renal fecal dehydrator to to elongate fecal duration in the large intestine and squeeze out any remaining water.

The system is only a concept right now and one would hope the world never comes to a point where it would be absolutely needed. But it's good to know people are planning for the Mad Max era, and that there's great potential for artificial organs to provide body enhancement and not just care and replacement.

 -Chris Wiltz is the assistant editor at MD+DI