EarthMan is a performance piece which allows the viewer to consider our global biosphere on a human scale. The Texas-based artist, Dion Laurent, blends art & science by appearing in public places wearing a fully-functioning, self-sustaining suit conceptually capable of maintaining a human in otherwise unlivable environments on earth or even in outer space.
The EarthMan suit consists of a solar-powered system including fans, air ducts, lights, terrarium and plants that reproduces the symbiotic relationship between humans and plants through the exchange of CO2 and oxygen. This bio exchange system vents the CO2 human exhaust from the helmet and suit to the Air Terrarium Backpack, thus feeding the plants the necessary CO2 gas necessary for their survival. In unison, the fan and air duct system delivers the oxygenated air of the terrarium to the suit and helmet of EarthMan, supplying the oxygen necessary for human survival, thus creating a simple biosphere exchange system similar to that of Planet Earth.
EarthMan and AirPort and related Self Sustaining Emergency Shelter Projects by Dion Laurent are dedicated to Advanced Life Support Systems (ALSS) and Bio-regenerative Life Support research. Conceptually, If we continue to destroy our natural environment on Earth, it may be necessary for all humans to wear such an EarthMan suit, much as humans must wear a space suit to travel outside of our atmosphere, or to seek sustainable life on Earth in Self-Sustaining Emergency Shelter Projects .
EarthMan Technical Specs. :
1 - Human.
1 - Air-Terrarium backpack with indiginous earth and plants.
Solar powered 6 volt and 12 volt electrical system.
1 - 9 volt wireless video camera.
2 -12 Volt 7 amp.hr. sealed batteries, 2 - 6 volt 9 amp.hr. sealed batteries. 2- 9 Volt sealed rechargeable batteries.
3 - 12 and 6 volt solar panels.
1 - 13 cfm. fan, 5 - 6 cfm fans, 12 volt.
Oxygen and temperature control ducts. 12 volt Insulated air cooling system.
2 - Biological/chemical air filters.
2 - 12 volt grow lights. 1 -12 volt pulsating neon grow light.
1- 6 volt LED Light,1 - 6 volt1 million candlepower halogen light.
1 - Control panel with 8 lighted electric switches, 4 LED indicators, voltage meters, in-line fuses, wires.
1 - Silver heat-reflective suit.
Shovel, flowers, trees....and the right place to play...perhaps on the moon some day. . .
Total weight of EarthMan suit : 80 pounds
All text, images and web pages at earthman1.com are Copyright Dion Laurent 1990-2008. Use of any images without prior written consent of Dion Laurent is expressly prohibited. All rights reserved.