A$4.4 million for clever clothing

CSIRO has just received funding of A$4.4 million to help bring this possibility a step closer. CSIRO’s Flexible Integrated Energy Device (FIED) was one of eight proposals selected as part of the latest round of Defence Capability and Technology Demonstrator (CTD) Program funding announced last night. Principal Research Scientist with CSIRO’s Energy Technology Division, Dr Adam Best, said it was envisaged that the technology would be incorporated into a piece of clothing and would comprise 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 device will be used to store and provide energy over a continuous period of time and can be charged by plugging into an electrical power point or through vibration energy harvesting. This could eventually be used in outer space. I thinks it’s a great idea that could really help out astronauts.