One of the coolest things in the world of technology is science fiction becoming science reality. An American research team has developed a system that collects urine in the form of tight-fitting pants and extracts drinking water from it. This "dune" of technology is intended to replace the diapers worn by astronauts during spacewalks, and perhaps even PC gamers who are too immersed in their monitors to break the toilet chain.

Spacewalking, or more accurately Extravehicular Activity (EVA), is a daunting task. Not only do astronauts have to contend with the dangers of micrometeorites and extreme temperatures, the space suits they must wear must also sustain a human being working nonstop for more than eight hours.

Because it takes hours to put on and take off a space suit, bathroom breaks are impractical. Therefore, adult-sized diapers, called maximum absorbent garments (MAGs), are used to collect the excretions generated during EVA.

A team of researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College and Cornell University in the United States (via The Guardian) has developed a system that looks infinitely better than a diaper and immediately creates a dune atmosphere. Instead of bulky absorbent material that collects urine and stool around a net, the new design consists of tight-fitting pants with a vacuum catheter attached for urine collection.

The liquid is then filtered through a battery-powered forward and reverse osmosis system into drinking water, which is then pumped to the astronauts for drinking. The research paper suggests that "flavored electrolyte powders" could be added to make the water taste better, providing important salts and carbohydrates. One can already see executives from Red Bull and Gatorade dreaming up the possibilities of this marketing project.

Even if astronauts could eat a low-residue diet before EVA, poop would still happen, and absorbent diapers would still be necessary since "still suit" pants would not recycle it. However, this must be a big plus, since the clothes seem to be quite comfortable.

Disadvantages include the need for a large battery to be attached to the space suit due to the energy needed to drive the filters, and the space suit's backpack will be more cumbersome, as it weighs 8 kg (17.6 lbs) in its current design. While not much of a problem during orbital or in-flight spacewalks, the extra mass would put additional stress on astronauts on the surface of the moon, for example.

The research team argues that "improved performance and sufficient water for contingencies" are worth the trade-off for the increased mass and battery requirements. The technology could also be used outside of the space industry, and there are many medical applications for something much more hygienic and less bulky than an adult diaper.

If I may be somewhat silly (or nauseating), I can imagine that there will be more than a few "avid" gamers interested in this. Because I really do know a few people who wear clothes that allow them to play games non-stop for hours on end without a bathroom break.

I wish I could be one, but honestly, I'm not kidding.