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Australian Army Invests in Electrical Shirts

Posted by samzenpus on from the shocking-sleeves dept.

Stony Stevenson writes "The Australian Defence Department has injected $4.4 million worth of funding to further Australia's national science agency's (the CSIRO) research into designing clothing which can be used as a self-recharging electrical source on the battlefield. The Defence Department is hoping the technology can be used to replace cumbersome disposable batteries that soldiers must carry on the battlefield. The Flexible Integrated Energy Device (FIED) will be used to store and provide energy over a continuous period of time. It can be charged by either vibration energy harvesting or through plugging into an electrical power point."

7 of 124 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Now say after me by das_magpie · · Score: 2, Informative

    I doubt that any soldiers (already heavily laden with weapons, body-armour and other gear)

    Yes but this is a start in the reduction of heavily laden gear.

    The increase in the internal energy of a system is equal to the amount of energy added by heating the system, minus the amount lost as a result of the work done by the system on its surroundings".

    Whats this really matter its still a plus for the soldiers system must do the work regardless and the expended energy is going into a system which has a positive effect on the soldier as it is lighter then previous disposable solution?

  2. Re:Just finish high school physics? by bakuun · · Score: 2, Informative

    This system sounds as if it is harvesting waste energy. (the running that the soldier is already doing) The running is not waste energy - the energy used for running is spent up doing just that - running. Granted, the muscles will produce heat, which can be used - but the article seems to suggest that it is not heat which will charge the batteries, but rather the actual motion.
  3. Re:Just finish high school physics? by CastrTroy · · Score: 4, Informative

    But they have to run regardless of which system they have used. They are actually replacing heavy non-rechargable batteries, which may run out, with this new system, which probably weighs about the same, but provides much more reliable power.

    --

    Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
  4. Re:So we're buying NEW stuff now? by Onetus · · Score: 2, Informative

    and doesn't have any highly lucrative natural resources Actually we do. Our economy is based on exporting numerous resources to the world.
    Most of the exportable metals, plus coal, coal and more coal.
    We've also got the oil and natural gas reserves in Bass Strait.

    Oh and strangely enough Fosters beer. Why you overseas people drink it, we'll never understand.

  5. Re:So we're buying NEW stuff now? by z0idberg · · Score: 2, Informative

    As well as 40% of the worlds uranium deposits.

  6. Re:So we're buying NEW stuff now? by Namors · · Score: 3, Informative

    doesn't have any highly lucrative natural resources
    Well I wouldn't say that exactly
    http://www.australianminesatlas.gov.au/info/info.jsp

    Australia has about 5% of the world's EDR of magnesite
    Australia has 10% of the worlds EDR of Iron ore
    Australia's EDR of industrial diamond 19% of the current World total
    Australia's 37% of of worlds EDR of Nickel

    The USGS estimate of World gold reserves of 42 000 t was similar to 2005 According to the USGS, South Africa still has the World's largest reserve of gold at 6000 t (14.3% a similar level as in 2005. According to the USGS Australia has the second largest reserve with approximately 12% of the World's holdings.)

    Australia has the World's largest resources of uranium in RAR recoverable at less than US$80/kg U (equates to EDR), with 27% of World resources in this category (at December 2006). Other countries with large resources include Kazakhstan (14%), Canada (13%), Niger (7%) and South Africa (7%) (Source: OECD/NEA & IAEA.)

    Based on USGS data for other countries, Australia's demonstrated bauxite resources of 7.8 Gt rank second in the world after Guinea with 8.6 Gt and ahead of Brazil with 2.5 Gt, Jamaica with 2.5 Gt and China with 2.3 Gt.

    Australia is the world's largest iron ore exporter and, as a producer, ranks third (with 16%) after China (31%) and Brazil (18%).

    Produces about 40% of world bauxite and over 30% of world alumina, making it the largest producer of bauxite and alumina.

    Based on USGS data for other countries, Australia has the World's largest EDR of both zinc (18% of the World) and lead (32%). Australia has the World's second largest EDR of silver (16%) behind Poland (18%).

    I'd peg a stable government and an educated populace
    Most the Time it feels the other way around. :P
    now to stay on topic
    We need this type of forward thinking as we have a massive country and a tiny population.
    The old work smarter not harder.
    Regards,
    Namor
    --
    Dual Century Programming: Yeah I know ... But it sounds Good
  7. Re:Yeah, but... by jank1887 · · Score: 3, Informative
    that's not what he said. Let me translate:

    Current method is inefficient. New method is also inefficient, but not as bad as first method. Thus, even though the total system energy will be depleted eventually, less is being wasted rather than being converted to useful work in the new method. SO IFF the new method is 'less bad', the overall system will see an improvement in function. No perpetual motion required. The guy still has to 'plug in' at some point.