Smart threads that can power wearables

Chalmers University of Technology / Hanna Magnusson

The thread could be used to power medical wearables or even charge a phone

Spotted: Wearable electronics could revolutionise the way we monitor our health, enabling individuals to easily track things like glucose levels and heart rate without needing to visit a doctor. Now, researchers from the Chalmers University of Technology could take wearable technology to the next level – with textiles that generate their own electricity.

By using silk thread coated with a conductive material, the textiles can create electrical potential using the temperature difference between a person’s body and the surrounding air. When connected to a sensor, the textiles power devices without requiring batteries, reducing the need for finite and unsustainably mined rare earth metals. The electrically conductive thread has been manufactured using only organic carbon-based polymers.

Mariavittoria Craighero, a doctoral student at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology states: “The polymers that we use are bendable, lightweight and are easy to use in both liquid and solid form. They are also non-toxic.” The thermoelectric textile was tested by being placed between hot and cold surfaces. The results revealed that a piece of fabric with a temperature difference of 30 degrees Celsius, when combined with a voltage converter, could theoretically generate enough energy (six millivolts) to be used to charge a portable electric device using a USB connector.

Further development is required to make the product more commercially viable – for example, to retain its conductive properties following repetitive wash cycles, and to make the thread more easy to incorporate into garments. Future applications for the product could include powering a wearable device to monitor a person’s health or serve as a way of charging a mobile phone whilst a person is exercising.

Written By: Jessica Wallis