Two students, Tine Hertz and Maria Langberg from the Danish Design School, with the help of researchers at Riso National Laboratory, have developed a patent-pending design in their solar textile.
The textile-based screen printed solar panel can be integrated into clothing fabric and has been incorporated in a transparent textile. The solar textile can be manufactured using silkscreen printing techniques and though the textile is currently printed in 30 x 45cm pieces, it can be made larger by sewing various modular cloth pieces together - making it foldable with the same softness as clothing.
Using this technology Tine Hertz created a solar dress that converts light into electricity. Hertz said her dress is "based on plastic solar cells, which convert light into electricity. By incorporating solar cells in clothing the body becomes able to generate energy, and in this way the body interacts with the surroundings and architecture. "
Maria Langberg said of her solar dress design "The essence of this project is the sun, which provides a natural, ever lasting source of energy. Persons wearing energy clothing, will be able to accumulate solar energy and transform this energy into electricity".
Solar clothing is a progression from the solar bags that are currently available. Voltaic produces solar bags fitted with lightweight, waterproof solar panels which can store enough power to fully charge a typical laptop from a day of direct sunlight. The smaller bags produce 4 watts of power so 1 hour in direct sun will power over 3 hours of iPod play time or 1.5 hours of cell phone talk time. The bags also have battery packs to store power for later use.
Researchers around the world are investigating the enormous possibilities of "energy clothing". North Carolina State University have designed a process to fit solar panels to ties and jackets, and a solar blouse that will charge a cell phone has been developed in Japan. Andrew Schneider, an American designer, has designed a solar powered bikini which can supply 6.5 volts to charge up an iPod or keep a drink cold.
Cheng-du, vice director of the Weaving Research Department at the Taiwan Textile Research Institute, says "In the near future, bags or jackets will incorporate foldable solar panels that will provide electricity for PDAs, cell phones or digital media players."
Top Image: Unplugged textile solar cell. (Source: Fashioning Technology.)
For more attend Printed Electronics Europe 2009.
