http://www.extremetech.com/computing/142755-the-first-flexible-fiber-optic-solar-cell-that-can-be-woven-into-clothes
"Moving forward, the potential for flexible, woven solar cells
is enormous. On the most basic, immediate level, you can imagine a
baseball cap or t-shirt that can recharge your smartphone. As we move
towards bionic implants
and other biomedical devices, though, there is a very pressing need to
develop a wearable power source — and fiber-optic solar cells could
certainly be it.
These fibers also have two other intriguing
properties that still need to be investigated. Due to their
three-dimensional cross-section, they can absorb sunlight from any
direction — unlike their conventional, 2D siblings that lose much of
their efficiency when the sun sinks below a certain angle. Further,
according to Pier Sazio, another member of the research team, they used
the same silicon injection method to embed photodetectors inside the
fiber. Sazio doesn’t extrapolate on what this might lead to, but it’s
fun to speculate: A wearable computer with built-in solar charging and high-speed networking? Neat."
I think we're moving toward sustainable energy whether The Man wants it or not.
Friday, December 7, 2012
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