Smartphones may feel glued to our hands, but the next leap in convenience could be power that moves with us—built right into what we wear. Think jacket fibers that harvest sunlight or a watchband that tops up on a stroll. Researchers outline a new approach to flexible, fabric-integrated rechargeable batteries in a paper in the ACS journal Nano Letters, pointing to a future where wearables spend less time tied to a wall outlet.
Today’s devices—smartwatches and smart glasses—still rely on plug-in chargers, and early textile-battery concepts have been costly and impractical. To truly cut the cord, the team rethought the battery from the materials up: selecting components that can bend and twist, store energy reliably, and remain affordable. The design is intended to integrate directly into fabrics or bands, enabling clothing and accessories to capture sunlight and pair that harvested energy with on-board storage—no bulky packs, no dangling cables, just power woven into everyday life.
Click here to read more
