A 3D-printed Sponge Suit bikini made of flexible, carbon-based filler materials can function like a sponge, absorbing all sorts of pollutants from water. So you put it on, wade into the water, and end up cleaning the seas “one stroke at a time.” It’s supposed to be absolutely safe for the wearer.

The sponge filler was invented by a group of engineers led by electrical engineering professor Mihri Ozkan. But instead of just dumping it into water, they wanted to find a fun way of getting people involved in the cleaning process and add an eco-friendly element to the leisure activity of swimming. So they enlisted the help of design firm Eray Carbajo to convert the material into a functional, wearable swimsuit that’s economically sustainable and environmentally friendly.

“We believe wearable technology can be the next big thing to undo the overseen or remain-to-be-seen harms of mankind’s technological advancements,” the creators said.

The sponge-like filler can absorb pollutants up to 25 times its own weight, which will not be released until it is heated to over 1,000 degrees Celsius. At such temperatures, the material will return to its original liquid form and once melted down, the contaminants can be separated. The sponge material can be recycled to make another swimsuit.

“This is a super material that is not harmful to the environment and very cost effective to produce,” Ozkan said.

“The form of the Sponge Suit is inspired by the super-porous, mesh-like structure of the sponge material,” an Eray Carbajo spokesperson added.

The innovative Sponge Suit won first prize at the 2015 Reshape Wearable Technology Competition. It is a prototype for now, but the makers are ready for mass production and it should hit retail markets in the near future. They’re also planning to apply the same technology to other types of swimsuits and swimming caps.

一种3D打印的海绵比基尼套装由有弹性的碳填充材料制成，就像海绵，能够吸收水中的污渍。所以，穿上它涉水，你就相当于清洁了一次海水。而且据说对穿戴者也是绝对安全的。

海绵填充材料是由电气工程教授米赫利·厄兹坎带领的团队发明的。他们希望人们能够通过有趣的方式参与净水过程，同时也希望游泳这项娱乐中能加入环保元素，而不是把这些材料直接投入水

中。所以他们在设计公司阿雷卡尔瓦霍的帮助下，将该材料转变成一个实用并且可以穿戴的泳装，这样有利于经济可持续发展和环境保护。

泳衣的发明者说：“我们相信，对于科技发展过程中产生的已知和未知的危

害，可穿戴技术将成为其最重要的解决方式之一。”

该海绵状填料能吸收的污染物重量可达自重的25倍，而且在1000度以下都不会释放。如果达到1000度，材料会恢复原始液体形式，一旦熔化，污染物将会分离，海绵原料可被回收并制成新的泳衣。

厄兹坎说：“这种超材料有益于环境并且性价比高。”

阿雷卡尔瓦霍的发言人补充道：“海绵套装泳衣的形式受了海绵材料超多孔介质，网状结构的启发。”

在2015年重塑可穿戴技术比赛中，创新的海绵比基尼获得了一等奖。现在它还只是一个雏形，但生产商已经准备量产，在不久的将来就能进军零售。他们还计划将此技术应用于其他类型的泳衣和泳帽。

    Words to Learn 相关词汇

   【污染物】wūrǎnwù contaminant something that contaminates a place or substance, as by making it impure, unsuitable, harmful, or unusable

    【性价比高的】xìngjiàbǐ gāo de cost effective producing optimum results for the expenditure