Caerphilly-based RMB Security Services Limited's Lifestraw - A high-tech water-filter in a straw, invented and manufactured by Swiss company Vestergaard-Frandsen, which uses allows soldiers to drink clean water from any source while out on operations.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Wales | Inventors reveal their new ideas

We also covered several off-grid devices that we'd like to have in the event of another storm of Sandy's magnitude -- Nokero's compact SunRay Pro solar charger, Berkey's super-versatile and effective water filter and Eton's hand-crank cellphone charger.

ENGADGET: Inhabitat's Week in Green: Dyson Spheres, bladeless wind turbines and airless bike tires

In case you don't have your smartphone app handy, the taps are equipped with LED lights to show the water's filter status as well -- blue means clean, yellow means not so much and red means you should probably get a new filter, pronto.

ENGADGET