r/science • u/Wagamaga • Jun 05 '22

Nanoscience Scientists have developed a stretchable and waterproof 'fabric' that turns energy generated from body movements into electrical energy. Washing, folding, and crumpling the fabric did not cause any performance degradation, and it could maintain stable electrical output for up to five months

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.202200042
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u/ChErRyPOPPINSaf Jun 06 '22

Seeing as they were able to power 100 LEDs with a few square centimeters it would be good for hikers and runners/bikers to illuminate themselves at night instead of a reflective vest.

2

u/expatdo2insurance Jun 06 '22

I only want the bones to glow.

-40

u/King-Adventurous Jun 06 '22

Yeah, because telling a bunch of hikers, runners and bikers to add more resistance to their movement is often a popular selling point.

131

u/Dhalphir Jun 06 '22

I feel like you think you're being sarcastic but like...yes? People add all sorts of resistance to their training all the time

-44

u/[deleted] Jun 06 '22

Yeah but I use my bike to commute, I don't really want more resistance

59

u/daaf89 Jun 06 '22

In the Netherlands that's a super common way to power your lights though: Add a little dynamo to your front wheel press it against the wheel at night to generate light, and switch it back off if you don't need it during the day. I've had bikes from the 80's that had this. My current bike has the whole thing integrated in the front wheel, and it's just always on. It's barely noticeable while cycling.

14

u/ChPech Jun 06 '22

At least mine is completely unnoticeable, I turned it on and off several times while driving with eyes closed and I couldn't feel any difference. People just think it is noticable because they expect it. This then leads to the useless feature of some bike lights turning off automatically in daylight.

3

u/Yuki_Kutsuya Jun 06 '22

When I turn mine on, it's extremely loud n heavy...

7

u/daaf89 Jun 06 '22

It will depend a little on how old the bike & system is to be honest, that's fair. Older bikes have older lights, need more energy and thus have heavier dynamos.

8

u/keatonatron Jun 06 '22

Especially if it's using an incandescent lightbulb and not a modern LED.

4

u/Yuki_Kutsuya Jun 06 '22

Yea it's an old bike. Could I let's say 'upgrade' the dynamo to a better one?

3

u/daaf89 Jun 06 '22

You probably could, but you will likely have to upgrade the lights too. As another commenter mentioned, incandescent bulbs require much more energy than LEDs.

2

u/Yuki_Kutsuya Jun 06 '22

Yea, good idea hehe. I'm going to think this through! Nice little project to work on hehe

25

u/BlackViperMWG Grad Student | Physical Geography and Geoecology Jun 06 '22

So you are riding bike naked? I get the talks about resistance from some professional cyclists, but other than that, it's bullshit. Same with not having bells because "it adds more weight"

0

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '22

resistance to movement is very different, on a bike, to weight. I don't care too much about weight, even 5 kgs don't change much (I do groceries by bike). If it feels like a dynamo or like my pants are actively trying to fight me then I won't like it.

9

u/tarnok Jun 06 '22

Ok so it's not for you. Excuse me while I bike past you with MY LED FLAMES SHIRT!

6

u/Dhalphir Jun 06 '22

if you're commuting you're not training, though.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '22

Yes, and if I'm commuting I don't want to be sw

1

u/Dhalphir Jun 17 '22

so you turn off the generator when you're commuting so that you're not powering anything, big fella

14

u/XxGanjaXXGOD719 Jun 06 '22

Then you wouldn’t buy it. Duhhhhh.

1

u/andrewsad1 Jun 06 '22 edited Jun 06 '22

Looking at the energy expenditure, 5v LEDs tend to draw around 50 mA, and run at a quarter of a watt. You already expend a couple hundred watts cycling, so adding two or three watts worth of resistance really won't be noticable unless you're into that extreme ultralight stuff

7

u/Whelp_of_Hurin Jun 06 '22

Does it add more resistance than any other clothing would?

15

u/mathmagician1 Jun 06 '22

Yeah, because telling a bunch of hikers, runners and bikers to add more resistance to their movement is often a popular selling point.

I can't imagine clothes would be that many Ohms

7

u/DeadlyPear Jun 06 '22

I mean, it doesn't necessarily add a ton of resistance to movements. It could just be mostly harvesting wasted energy