South Korean scientists invent wearable textile batteries

25 Nov '13

2 min read

South Korean researchers from the Korean Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have developed a wearable textile battery that can be recharged by solar energy, a breakthrough that could give a boost to wearable technologies.

The wearable textile battery, developed by a team of scientists from KAIST led by professor Choi-Jang Wook, works normally in more than 5,000 folding-unfolding motions, a technology that can be applied in assembly line of battery makers, reports South Korean news agency Yonhap.

Mr. Choi-Jang Wook said the new battery would initiate an era of information and technology, where people will wear clothes with small mobile electronic devices.

According to a Nano Letter published in October, 2013, by American Chemical Society (ACS), Choi’s team said wearable electronics represent a significant paradigm shift in consumer electronics since they eliminate the necessity for separate carriage of devices.

Integration of flexible electronic devices with clothes, watches, and skin will bring new opportunities beyond what can be imagined by current inflexible counterparts, they added.

The innovative product, which has been created with nickel and polyurethane as main components, is capable of storing energy and is completely flexible, and therefore it could be applied to any type of clothing, accessories or watchbands.

In a prototype test conducted by the scientists at KAIST, the textile material was subjected to a stress test which showed its ability to hold 91.8 percent of electricity after being folded 5,500 times.

According to the KAIST scientists, the wearable textile battery was integrated with flexible and lightweight solar cells on the battery pouch in order to enable convenient solar-charging capabilities.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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