Energy Saving Trust channels
Top shortcut links
Main navigation starts here
You are here:
Power dressing could take on a whole new meaning if the electric charge from a new fabric is magnified enough to be deployed commercially to run portable devices.
Writing in the journal Nature, Zhong Lin Wang at the Georgia Institute of Technology said nanofibre fabrics could create an electric charge from movement to power devices such as the iPod in the future.
The researcher said the static charge from the synthetic Kevlar fibres could be enough to charge a mobile phone for hours if smart and interactive clothes became a reality.
A square metre of material could produce between 20 and 80 milliwatts of power from normal mechanical vibrations such as footsteps.
Scientists say self-powered nanotechnology could also be used in tents or other structures to harness wind energy.
But George Stylios of Heriot Watt University said he was sceptical that "meaningful" amounts of energy from clothing could be generated using the fibres.
Find out how the Energy Saving Trust can help you
For regular email updates please submit your email address below.
Call 0800 512 012 for free, independent and local energy saving advice
Click here to request a call back from your local advice centre.
Latest News