Engineering Lifestyle
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chanj
It's a very interesting project. If the efficient of solar cell can go be double ...
Nick.Radonic
Good. I'd like to see the commercial equivalent soon. I am constantly wondering ...
Solar powered soldiers
Leslie Langan
8/2/2012 7:04 PM EDT
MC10, a Cambridge, Mass., startup specializing in flexible electronics, has signed a one year contract with the US Army to develop and test solar cell technology for military use.
The technology will take the form of wearable solar panels built into military personnel's clothing to power up America’s GIs, while decreasing the number of battery packs lugged around.
MC10 specializes in re-engineering rigid electronics into flexible forms and has made significant strides in creating human vital stat sensors which have been successfully applied to surgical patients and athletes alike. The sensors are typically a 1-inch flexible patch that tracks temperature, heart rate and hydration.
The company has been looking at solar power since early 2011, when the first flexible solar grids were demoed by company's co-founder John Rogers.
For the necessary flexibility required for solar powered clothing, MC10 uses flexible microgrids of solar cells, connected by gold ribbon wrapped in a soft conducting polymer. The wearable solar cells harness the power of gallium arsenide, the light harvesting metal compound built into high-efficiency solar panels found on rooftops.
"At the end of it we'll have fully functional devices that are integratable into backpacks and helmets and jackets," say Ben Schlatka, MC10's cofounder and VP of business development.
The one year contract will allow MC10 to scale up production and testing of the technology to a capacity that will fast track the commercial availability of wearable solar cells.
"Picture your favorite shirt with power harvesting capability," Schlatka says.
More power to the military, or is this idea going to flatline? And more importantly, would you wear one?
The technology will take the form of wearable solar panels built into military personnel's clothing to power up America’s GIs, while decreasing the number of battery packs lugged around.
MC10 specializes in re-engineering rigid electronics into flexible forms and has made significant strides in creating human vital stat sensors which have been successfully applied to surgical patients and athletes alike. The sensors are typically a 1-inch flexible patch that tracks temperature, heart rate and hydration.
The company has been looking at solar power since early 2011, when the first flexible solar grids were demoed by company's co-founder John Rogers.
For the necessary flexibility required for solar powered clothing, MC10 uses flexible microgrids of solar cells, connected by gold ribbon wrapped in a soft conducting polymer. The wearable solar cells harness the power of gallium arsenide, the light harvesting metal compound built into high-efficiency solar panels found on rooftops.
"At the end of it we'll have fully functional devices that are integratable into backpacks and helmets and jackets," say Ben Schlatka, MC10's cofounder and VP of business development.
The one year contract will allow MC10 to scale up production and testing of the technology to a capacity that will fast track the commercial availability of wearable solar cells.
"Picture your favorite shirt with power harvesting capability," Schlatka says.
More power to the military, or is this idea going to flatline? And more importantly, would you wear one?
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agk
8/4/2012 7:53 AM EDT
This is useful to every one.If this can generate 10 to 20 watts of power during peak hours of sun light then a real saving of battery power for the soldiers. A novel application is for the small agriculturist who spends most of the time in the sun light. This can directly power the hand held gadgets used for agriculture.
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Nick.Radonic
8/4/2012 12:17 PM EDT
Good. I'd like to see the commercial equivalent soon. I am constantly wondering if we offered the non-combatants in these remote war zones solar power for their houses and tents if we might better win 'hearts and minds'. At least on the margins of those troubled societies.
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chanj
1/3/2013 4:45 PM EST
It's a very interesting project. If the efficient of solar cell can go be double or more, the wearable solar panel will surely make a great impact not only to the military uniform but also to civilian fashion.
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