$4.4 Million for Clothing That Thinks.

Can you use electronic devices by simply plugging them in to your clothing? Probably not but pretty soon you will. CSIRO has just received funding of A$4.4 million to help bring this possibility a step closer. CSIRO’s Flexible Integrated Energy Device was one of eight proposals selected as part of the latest round of Defence Capability and Technology Demonstrator Program funding. The clothing consists of three components: advanced, conductive fabrics as part of the battery, vibration energy harvesting device and a rectifier/power management system to power soldiers’ electronic equipment. The clothing is supposed to look like an ordinary garment but different capabilities. As the person wearing the garment moves, the vibrations they create can be harvested and channelled into recharging the battery or powering plug-in electronic device or devices. This will be useful for trips to Mars and on Mars where energy is needed.