A model wearing Adidas' solar-powered headphonesImage source, Adidas
Image caption, Adidas and Urbanista now both make headphones that are solar powered

If you're the type of person who always forgets to charge your headphones, help is on hand.

The solar-powered headphones are on sale. Solar panels are built into the headbands of the models.

The flexible panels are made by another Swedish company, Exeger, which has spent the past decade making them light, thin and powerful enough to do the job.

Giovanni Fili says it is a matter of convenience and doing the right thing for the environment.

He saysCharging is hated by everyone. It's a good thing when you don't use mains electricity.

The new generation of young adults expect to be offered tools to do good for the environment.

The panels are 1.3mm thick. There are strips of titanium dioxide covered in a natural dye. The dye absorbs light and converts it into electricity.

Media caption,

Tech can be charged in any light.

The titanium dioxide panels are half as efficient as standard Silicon-based solar panels of the same size, but they are much thinner and cheaper to produce.

The solar-powered headphones have a built in battery that can last up to 80 hours. This is where Powerfoyle charges. One hour's worth of power can be created from just 20 minutes of English or Swedish sunshine.

The idea is that the headphones are always charged because the panels can create some power from artificial light. If back-up power is needed, the headphones still have a power sockets.

Solar panels are not likely to be added to mobile phones any time soon because many of us keep our phones in a pocket and don't have access to a light source. He wants the panels to be fitted to people's clothing and bags so they can charge their phones from these.

Exeger's boss Giovanni FiliImage source, Exeger
Image caption, Exeger's boss Giovanni Fili predicts that the firm's solar panels will be fitted to clothing and bags

The fabrics made by Planno have solar panelling.

Elina Ilén is a professor at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia's Department of Textile and Paper Engineering as well as a leading expert on Wearable Textile Electronics.

The firm doesn't focus on clothing that can charge your phone, but on garments with built-in solar powered sensors. Various aspects of the wearer's health can be monitored, such as heart rate, temperature, posture, sleep quality and body fat levels.

"Placing a solar cell behind a textile will never have the same efficiency of harvesting energy as a solar cell in direct sunlight."

Solar panels on the underside of Planno fabricImage source, Planno
Image caption, Planno's solar panels are fitted on the underside of clothing

The amount of energy-harvesting potential will be affected by the thickness, density, structure, colour and finishing treatments of the textile.

One of the best solutions for continuous health monitoring is textile-based Wearables. The technology can be hidden under the fabric to make patients feel more comfortable.

Models wearing Planno jacketsImage source, Planno
Image caption, Planno hopes that its clothing, such as these jackets, is also visually appealing

There is a different approach to power- generating fabrics being taken by researchers. They are harvesting the static electricity created when a person moves and turning that into usable power.

The technology is based on small power generators. Cotton, nylon, and polyester are covered in a coating that repels static. The teng can be woven or knitted into clothing.

"Our group is investigating how we can use regular textile materials and textile fabrication techniques to produce efficient ten grams for Wearable Applications," says project leader Ishara Dharmasena.

The aim is to produce energy-generating textiles like T-shirts, base layers and trousers which are very similar to our regular clothing, but capable of generating electricity or measuring body movements.

Ishara DharmasenaImage source, Loughborough University
Image caption, Ishara Dharmasena demonstrates the stretchable nature of his tengs technology

Dr Dharmasena, a Royal Academy of Engineering research fellow and lecturer at Loughborough, says that in the future teng could be used in conjunction with solar panels to create hybrid power generating clothing.

The author of Wearable Solar Systems hopes that the market for solar-powered clothing will expand in the future.

Prof Wilson is from the University of Washington's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

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We haven't yet taken advantage of what they have to offer.

The biggest area for growth will be clothing that can charge portable electronic devices. It might mean being able to charge on the go.

She says the solar panel systems need to last at least one year without a significant loss of efficiency for clothing like that to be popular.

  • Solar power
  • Adidas
  • Wearable technology