Solar Cells Embedded In Clothes

By Nick April 9, 2008

When you’re walking in the city listening to your iPod, I bet you check it often to see how long its battery will last. Well, in about a year, you won’t have to, because it will be plugged in a wearable charger: your clothes.

Fujitsu Siemens has developed flexible solar cells, that can and will be incorporated into trousers, jackets or any other piece of clothing. The cells convert sunlight into electricity and the energy will be transmitted to various portable devices through a special pocket on the garment. Fujitsu representative Dave Pritchard said that the clothes are probably going to be available within a year, and jackets will have solar cells on their arms or back.

The flexible solar cells are starting to replace the original solar panels that used as a support silicon and glass, which made them available for only a fraction of applications. A jacket full of solar cells exposed to four hours of light is expected to serve for a full day’s use.

Via

Topics: Energy |