NEW E-FABRIC DEVELOPED BY RESEARCHERS WHICH GENERATES ENOUGH POWER TO CHARGE YOUR PHONE
We have all been in a situation where our phone has run out of battery but we have nowhere to charge it. What if the clothes you wear can help you? This variant isn't as outlandish as you might think, thanks to work by researchers at Nottingham Trent University.
Dr Theodore Hughes-Riley, Associate Professor of Electronic Textiles at Nottingham School of Art and Design, led the research that led to the development of innovative electronic textiles containing 1,200 photovoltaic cells. The combined cells are capable of harnessing 400 milliwatts (mW) of electrical energy from the sun. This is enough to charge a regular cellphone or smartwatch.
Breathable and flexible e-textile can be incorporated into clothing and accessories so you never run out of energy. The e-textile behaves like any other piece of fabric and can be washed at 40°C (104°F). This is made possible by the waterproof polymer resin that encapsulates the 5mm x 1.5mm photovoltaic cells.