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Nanowires Allow For Electricity-Generating Clothing

Posted by Zonk on from the next-step-in-this-direction-is-thermoptic-camoflage dept.

lee1 writes "The latest development in the field of 'energy harvesting', which includes such opportunistic technology such as self-winding watches, generators implanted in soldier's boots, and knee brace dynamos, is a cloth that generates electrical power. The cloth is newly developed by scientists in the US, and can produce up to 80 milliwatts per square metre. It is made from brush-like fibres composed of a Kevlar stalk surrounded by zinc oxide nanowire crystals that generate electricity through the piezoelectric effect. They can be grown on any substrate, including hair. The power harnessed from this effect could be used for anything from cosmetic components to the powering of medical devices."

14 of 113 comments (clear)

  1. What about... by TubeSteak · · Score: 4, Funny

    Can it be grown on sharks?
    /to power the frickin' laser beams

    --
    [Fuck Beta]
    o0t!
  2. Don't hug me bro! by barocco · · Score: 5, Funny

    Don't hug me bro!

  3. Their first attempts were a complete failure by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The nanowire bath towels were a shocking failure.

    Proper marketing will be needed to overcome consumer resistance.

  4. What we really need... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    ... is a way to generate electricity by masturbation. I could probably power my data center... and maybe yours too!

    1. Re:What we really need... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      You're not going to jack into my network, buddy!

  5. Grown on hair? by LaRoach · · Score: 5, Funny

    They can be grown on any substrate, including hair

    Then my back is gonna run the whole house!

  6. Powering medical devices? by Jason+Levine · · Score: 2, Funny

    I can see it now:

    "Grandpa, why won't you stop running?"

    "Can't Junior. If I stop, my pacemaker will shut down. I shouldn't even stop to talk to y-... *urk*"

    *thud*

    --
    My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
  7. An interesting application by Charcharodon · · Score: 3, Funny
    Make the bed sheets out of them....

    "Damn it woman, leave me alone and go to sleep. Don't give me that "my iPod needs charging", I already checked it, it's full.

    1. Re:An interesting application by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      "Damn it you horny bastard, I have a headache! Leave me alone and go to sleep. Don't give me that "my iPod needs charging", I already checked it, it's full.

      There, fixed it for you.

  8. Re:forgive my ignorance by Hillgiant · · Score: 5, Funny

    Dude! Just how fat are you to be able to power your TV with 80 milliWatts per m^2?

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  9. Re:Think nuclear by robertjw · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm cringing. There is NO WAY I'm wearing nuclear clothes.

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    Find coupons in Greeley
  10. Re:The Matrix by Surt · · Score: 2, Funny

    Years from now we aren't remembering it, because we think it wasn't thousands of years in the past, thanks to the matrix.

    --
    "Who is the Journal of Quantum Physics going to believe?" --Stephen Hawking
  11. Re:Beat me again! by sm62704 · · Score: 2, Funny

    The joke died in the '70s, man.

    No it didn't, I've been keeping it on life support.

    The place I worked at had a Wang minicomputer as late as 1995, and even bough Wang PCs. The secretaries all loved Wangs!

    --
    mcgrew's razor: Never attribute to stupidity that which can be explained by greedy self-interest
  12. How bout bra's? by ShiNoKaze · · Score: 2, Funny

    So a large breasted woman could power all kind of devices right? And the "power" captured would be taking stress away from the skin. So they would be less inclined to sag in the future right? You could prolly even tell who was natural and who wasn't by the power output, as the fake one's tend to be more.. solid. This should be done for the good of mankind!