Researchers create solar tie that charges, carries cellphone

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]

[phanbouy @ Aug 18th 2008 4:07PM]

too bad the radiation causes skin blotching as demonstrated

[Sachin @ Aug 18th 2008 4:42PM]

psh. What a stud.

[matt @ Aug 18th 2008 5:13PM]

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?

[Bunson @ Aug 18th 2008 7:06PM]

Yes

[Aguiluz @ Aug 18th 2008 4:09PM]

What's that grey goopy thing on his face!?

[Marq @ Aug 18th 2008 4:16PM]

Someone couldn't find a towel in time. Oops.

[Blaine Oliver @ Aug 18th 2008 4:17PM]

256 colours FTL tbh.

[JohnTitor @ Aug 18th 2008 8:18PM]

it brings memories of windows 95 on a crappy CRT

[derwin @ Aug 18th 2008 10:05PM]

Reminds me of Casey Tatum, that greasy, creepy guy from Tim and Eric Awesome Show.

[Ghen @ Aug 19th 2008 4:32PM]

its a disease.. and he should have worn makeup for a product shot. Especially if he's the inventor.

[xCrUNK @ Aug 18th 2008 4:10PM]

dat dood is kool

[Jason @ Aug 18th 2008 5:41PM]

What? It's not glossy? Lame.

[Wacko @ Aug 18th 2008 4:11PM]

Actually, I was expecting a cell-phone-charging condoms...you know dynamics turned into clean pure electricity.

[jbl5865 @ Aug 18th 2008 4:11PM]

i dont think i like the instant-skin-cancer feature

[Malikye @ Aug 18th 2008 4:11PM]

that is the ultimate geek accessory to have this summer!

[Samboini @ Aug 18th 2008 5:15PM]

So much so you said it twice incase we miss it. Are you, per chance, the manufacturer?

[ChuChu @ Aug 18th 2008 5:26PM]

Gareth is that you?

[Malikye @ Aug 18th 2008 4:13PM]

That is the ultimate Geek accessory to have this summer!

[DominiKing @ Aug 18th 2008 4:13PM]

Yeah... I think I'll pass on this one.

[steven @ Aug 18th 2008 4:13PM]

cool, but might be kinda heavy especially with a cellphone in it

[Code.Red @ Aug 18th 2008 4:15PM]

You would think researchers would know that gif images are not suitable for photographs.

[edgore @ Aug 18th 2008 4:16PM]

"a team of researchers from Iowa State University now look" like they will never, ever get a date.

[tartis99 @ Aug 18th 2008 4:16PM]

Nice birth control device. You will never get laid wearing that tie.

[pekosROB @ Aug 18th 2008 4:19PM]

HAHA so true so true!!

I was thinking that looked like the ugliest tie/article of clothing on the planet.

[phanbouy @ Aug 18th 2008 5:35PM]

@pekosROB

thanks for confirming your experience, but you need to run a control experiment to eliminate all the regular not-laids

[Wacko @ Aug 18th 2008 4:18PM]

..and I was hoping for a cell-phone-charging condom...you know dynamics turning into electricity.

[mrpysnik @ Aug 18th 2008 4:19PM]

ah man, my piano-tie just came in the mail yesterday. looks like i'm behind the latest fashion trends already.

[klietza @ Aug 18th 2008 4:20PM]

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.

[tyler @ Aug 18th 2008 4:25PM]

I remember seeing my high school physics teacher wear more stylish ties.

... And he wore nothing but plaid shirts.

[Rich @ Aug 18th 2008 4:31PM]

Doubt that anyone nerdy enough to actually wear this would see enough sun anyway...

[giuppi @ Aug 18th 2008 4:33PM]

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?

[ccmoentti @ Aug 18th 2008 4:37PM]

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.

[Josh @ Aug 18th 2008 4:37PM]

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... :(

[BigD145 @ Aug 18th 2008 4:44PM]

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.

[Raheem @ Aug 18th 2008 4:54PM]

If I ever see anyone wearing this... let's just say a wedgie is a given.

[Andrew @ Aug 18th 2008 4:54PM]

At least the wearer knows that, regardless of the situation, they will always be in charge.

[Christian @ Aug 18th 2008 4:58PM]

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...

[Warren @ Aug 18th 2008 5:03PM]

Does this guy WANT to get beat up?

[Xenoterranos @ Aug 18th 2008 5:11PM]

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!

[Lloytron @ Aug 18th 2008 5:15PM]

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.

[marky-b @ Aug 18th 2008 5:23PM]

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.

[Wwhat @ Aug 18th 2008 5:24PM]

Pointless to wear a tie that gets you fired after which it's pointless to wear a tie.

[marky-b @ Aug 18th 2008 5:24PM]

bah. comment idea stealer.

[Knives_Out @ Aug 18th 2008 5:38PM]

... thought it was a guitar tie for a sec. that would have been cool.

[Magallanes @ Aug 19th 2008 8:46AM]

I thought the same, may be a guitar hero tie.

[Johnny Z @ Aug 18th 2008 5:42PM]

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

[M@ @ Aug 18th 2008 6:03PM]

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...

[Adamwho @ Aug 18th 2008 6:04PM]

Why would you need to make it tie? It is dorky enough to be a clip-on.

[Craig B. @ Aug 18th 2008 6:19PM]

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.

[steven @ Aug 18th 2008 6:27PM]

who ever said saving the planet was pretty