Researchers create solar tie that charges, carries cellphone
By Donald Melanson 
posted Aug 18th 2008 4:04PM
posted Aug 18th 2008 4:04PM
There's certainly no shortage of folks working to incorporate solar cells into clothing and accessories, but a team of researchers from Iowa State University now look to have devised a way to make the wearable technology slightly more discreet, with them using digital textile printing to print fabric that matches the pattern of the solar cells. The solar cells themselves are then attached using a "liquid stitch" method, although that apparently presented its own set of problems, as the application of the cells made it difficult to tie a knot. As the researchers helpfully point out in thier paper, however, a clip-on tie would solve that problem. Combine that with the special pouch for carrying your cellphone, and you've got a combo that can't be beat.
[Via textually.org]
[Via textually.org]
too bad the radiation causes skin blotching as demonstrated
psh. What a stud.
Seriously, with the rumors of cell phones admitting radiation into your body and possibly causing cancer would you really want to charge one that close to your heart?
Yes
i dont think i like the instant-skin-cancer feature
Wow. Just Wow.
What's that grey goopy thing on his face!?
Someone couldn't find a towel in time. Oops.
256 colours FTL tbh.
it brings memories of windows 95 on a crappy CRT
Reminds me of Casey Tatum, that greasy, creepy guy from Tim and Eric Awesome Show.
its a disease.. and he should have worn makeup for a product shot. Especially if he's the inventor.
dat dood is kool
What? It's not glossy? Lame.
Does this guy WANT to get beat up?
Actually, I was expecting a cell-phone-charging condoms...you know dynamics turned into clean pure electricity.
that is the ultimate geek accessory to have this summer!
So much so you said it twice incase we miss it. Are you, per chance, the manufacturer?
Gareth is that you?
That is the ultimate Geek accessory to have this summer!
Yeah... I think I'll pass on this one.
cool, but might be kinda heavy especially with a cellphone in it
Nice birth control device. You will never get laid wearing that tie.
HAHA so true so true!!
I was thinking that looked like the ugliest tie/article of clothing on the planet.
@pekosROB
thanks for confirming your experience, but you need to run a control experiment to eliminate all the regular not-laids
You would think researchers would know that gif images are not suitable for photographs.
"a team of researchers from Iowa State University now look" like they will never, ever get a date.
..and I was hoping for a cell-phone-charging condom...you know dynamics turning into electricity.
call me crazy, but why not create a solar powered cell phone. Just like my calculator
Because a cell phone needs a LOT more power.
Your crazy
ah man, my piano-tie just came in the mail yesterday. looks like i'm behind the latest fashion trends already.
HAHAHAHA!!! If I wore that, I would have to kick my own ass. Also, were on earth did this website find a way to take a simple picture and hit the "crapifiy" button.
I remember seeing my high school physics teacher wear more stylish ties.
... And he wore nothing but plaid shirts.
The tie is SO ugly, that you don't know if you should use it every day and look like crap, give it as a x-mas present for someone you hate, or taking a "Kick me hard in the butt" sign and stick it in your back instead.
Doubt that anyone nerdy enough to actually wear this would see enough sun anyway...
don´t we want to talk about the model in the pic?
no, seriously, couldn´t they find any better looking guy at the Iowa State University?
This is great! It gives the user two fun ways to die. Either by strangulation from the weight of your cell, or by a slower and possibly more painful case of skin cancer. Either way, with a tie like that, you're going to die alone... :(
Yes, you too can charge your cell phone in only 47 hours with our new SolarTie. That's okay - if you wear our tie no females will ever talk to you again anyway so you won't be missing much.
You close your jacket and cover the tie while you're outdoors and then open up when indoors? I'm certain shoulder pad solar panels would work better.
If I ever see anyone wearing this... let's just say a wedgie is a given.
At least the wearer knows that, regardless of the situation, they will always be in charge.
Won't the weight and the fact that it's close to your neck would make you feel like a dog on a leash being pulled? Unless you're kinky or something, I see that as very uncomfortable... and when you were a sports jacket or similar, won't you end up hiding all the solar panels? why can't they do like a gyro-motor or something that absorbs energy from walking/moving, like kinetic/automatic watches...
A combo that can't be beat is great
'though, with the blotchy of head I relate,
but my tie is so swank
I think I should thank
those guys over at Iowa State!
Anyone sad enough to wear something as awful as that wouldn't need to charge thier phone because they wouldn't have anyone to call.
This is kind of ironic, being that anyone actually wearing this tie wouldnt have friends to call him anyways.
But i suppose he could use it to charge up his walkie talkie watch... or calculator belt buckle.
Pointless to wear a tie that gets you fired after which it's pointless to wear a tie.
bah. comment idea stealer.
... thought it was a guitar tie for a sec. that would have been cool.
I thought the same, may be a guitar hero tie.
With the rumors of cell phones bursting into flames, killing off entire species of bees and causing tumors, I no longer put my phone between my legs while driving. Last thing I need is for my tumor crusted testicles to burst into flames before completing dissappearing.
Z
Why would you need to make it tie? It is dorky enough to be a clip-on.
Wow! What a brilliant IDEA!... Now I can charge my cellphone using my tie when I'm out in the sun all day long IN THE OFFICE?... Hey, how bout some glow in the dark sunglasses too!... Oh, right; some other genius beat you to that already...
The designers have much more style skill than you think - if you look at the pics, the colour of the tie would fabulously match a wearer's bright-red skin tone.
who ever said saving the planet was pretty
Practical AND Stylish?
But of course.
Wearing this tie would be the equivalent of wearing a giant "I'm a geek" sign around one's neck. However, the ISU folks working on this are techies, not fashion designers. So, I guess they can be forgiven for thinking that any fashion conscious person would actually wear this thing.
Personally, as a fashion designer, I'd have incorporated the solar cells into the back panel of some hip looking dark wash denim jacket. That way the tech is more discreet and just look like some interesting print work.
Clip-on ties FTW!
A clip-on, solar, cell-phone charging tie.... Is it just me, or is that hilariously dorky?
Especially on that guy!
...reminds me of the piano key necktie from Zoolander.
We've got a self charging tie-phone yet I still can't get a decent shoe phone. What is this world coming to?
Soul-Arrrrrrh!
whats real funny is... the dorks wearing this don't even get sunlight to begin with... so whats the point?
Hot damn, hook me up. I'd like to never get laid again for the rest of my life. I bet the Iphone fanboys would love the on the go power since 3g sucks power like a desperate crack whore. Sorry I said the I word.