Power Dress Is Geek Chic Solar

Not too long ago, any wearable item that charged your electronics was either a backpack or a chunky accessory. A new dress designed at Cornell University harnesses nanotechnology to produce a look that’s both powerful and slimming.

This pink number has ultra-thin photovoltaic strips sewn onto the dress using newly developed cotton thread coated in semiconductor polymers and nanoparticles. Together, the threat and strip make the wearer a walking solar panel that can charge a device by USB.

Produced by Cornell’s Textiles Nanotech Laboratory, the coating on the thread is just 100 nanometres thick to allow for flexibility that’s just like a normal cotton thread (the head of a pin is about 1 million nanometers across).

The creation of super-flexible conductive thread has already lead many people think of the opportunities beyond solar power outfits. Researchers are already considering pillows that monitor brainwaves and t-shirts that take stock of your heart rate.

But, you’re still thinking “where can I get that futuristic dress?” Sorry, bub, but it’s just for show. Wait a bit, though, and you’ll be seeing a lot more uber-flexible and comfortable conductive clothing in the very near future.

[via CNET]