A research team at Nottingham Trent University has developed a manufacturing method which enables it to embed solar cells within knitted and woven fabrics that can charge electronic devices such as mobiles phones and FitBits. The solar cells, at just three millimetres in length and 1.5 millimetres in width, are encapsulated in a resin which is then applied to a textile substrate. This, the researchers say, allows the fabric to be worn and washed like any other garment, without sacrificing its ability to generate power.

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