As a heavy iPod user, this could be interesting. This Thursday, (the 21st of June) an Italian company showed off an extraordinary jacket at a fashion show in Florence. This jacket contains solar electronics that can generate electricity and store it in a battery, where it can be used to charge iPods, cell phones, and other devices. The jacket is designed by ‘Zegna’, with the electronics developed by ‘Solarc’.
There are two solar modules in the collar of the coat. One module is 9cm by 5.5cm, and with full sunlight generates 1 watt of power.
The integrated battery is 70mm by 60mm by 13mm, and is about 100 grams heavy. In about four to eight power it is fully charged, and when it’s full it can charge an iPod up in another four hours. There are 5 volt and 6 volt connections available, for USB and cell phone devices respectively. These two blog posts have more details on the jacket, and the picture that’s below.
The jacket will ship in late 2008, with prices yet to be stated. Unless it’s outrageously expensive – or extremely unfashionable – I can see myself wearing this jacket.
- Nishant
