Konarka Technologies, Inc., developer of Power Plastic that converts light to energy, and Textronics, Inc., involved in the field of electronic textiles, have announced a joint development programme to create prototype garments and fashion accessories with portable, wearable power-generation capabilities. The technology will utilise Konarka’s light-activated Power Plastic and Textronics’ electronic textile systems to provide renewable, wearable energy sources for personal electronic devices.

Although wearable electronics are already available, the vast majority rely on battery power that needs recharging regularly; by combining Konarka’s Power Plastic and Textronics’ electronic textile systems into wearable electronics, the companies aim to develop garments with energy generation ability that consumers can carry with them at all times.

Our expertise with electronic textile materials, components and systems is a natural complement to Konarka’s Power Plastic development,” said Textronics CEO Stacey Burr. Textronics’ technologies will allow for the end product to have a soft textile-like feel while Konarka’s materials will provide the renewable power.”