Skip to main content

    Researchers successfully weave flexible batteries into fabric

    Researchers successfully weave flexible batteries into fabric

    /

    Researchers at the Polytechnic School of Montreal have woven a flexible battery into fabric. The new method does not involve liquid cells, making powered clothing a real possibility.

    flexible battery
    flexible battery

    Clothing with gadgets sewn into them are nothing new, but researchers at the Polytechnic School of Montreal are taking wearable electronics to a new level — textiles that are made out of batteries. The research team was able to build extremely flexible batteries by sandwiching thermoplastic materials together, omitting the liquid electrolytes found in your typical AA. This allowed them to safely heat and stretch their battery into a material that resembles artificial leather which can be woven with other materials and connected using conductive threads. The team claimed that a garment made of the material could supply hundreds of volts: enough to charge your gadgets or even power a defibrillator. One major downside is that the technology isn't yet waterproof. Until the team overcomes that particular hurdle, we'd recommend not getting too sweaty in your drum machine T-shirt.