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Clothes power gizmos

by on14 February 2008

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Nano-fibre breakthrough


Scientists
have created a nano-fiber textile that harvests energy from movement.

The idea is clothing that could one day power an iPod or other wearable electronic devices. The textile uses the same mechanical principle as a self-winding watch, but on a scale measured in billionths of a meter.

The fibers, developed by a team of scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology are covered with pairs of zinc oxide nanowires that produce tiny pulses of electricity in response to friction. When the two fibers rub together they create electrical energy.

According to Nature magazine, fibeds could also be woven into curtains, tents or other structures to capture energy from wind motion, sound vibrations or other mechanical energy.
Last modified on 15 February 2008
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