Researchers create solar tie that charges, carries cellphone
By Donald Melanson 
posted August 18th 2008 4:04PM
posted August 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]
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.