Power walking may never be the same again. Australian researchers are developing shirts that will generate electricity whenever the wearer moves. The Sydney Morning Herald reports.
"The shirts would directly power mobile telephones, portable music players and other small electrical appliances.
Dr Best, of the CSIRO's Energy Technology Division, predicted the first power shirts - or flexible integrated energy devices - could be developed within five years.
The secret behind the idea involves piezo electrical materials. "Whenever you bend or deform piezo electrical material it creates an electrical charge."
If a shirt could be woven from the fabric, the constant vibration would "produce electricity as you move".
The power would be fed into flexible batteries that would also be woven into the shirt. Appliances, including mobile phones and palm pilots could then be plugged into the shirt.
The technology could revolutionise appliances such as mobile phones. By adding printed flexible circuit boards, they, too, could be woven into clothing.
"We see no reason why you couldn't do that," said Dr Best, saying the day may not be far off when people could make phone calls simply by talking into their collars.
source: textually.org
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