Wear It And RECHARGE!

Here is the first outerwear product in the world that can recharge a cell phone, iPod or other device using solar power.

Italian ZEGNA presents the first commercially available jacket with integrated solar solution based on “iSolarX” – a flexible and highly efficient wearable solar technology.

The solar modules are mounted on a neoprene collar; the electricity generated from solar energy is transmitted through conducting textile leads and stored temporarily in a buffer battery or fed directly to a connected device.

The electronic basis of the new “Solar JKT” from Zegna Sport is the iSolarX wearable solar technology platform, developed by Interactive Wear AG in close cooperation with its technology partner SOLARC of Berlin. This enables the easy and convenient integration of solar cells together with their associated leads and miniaturized charging electronics (for e.g. cell phones, mp3 players or other mobile electronic devices with a USB connector) into apparel and accessories of any sort. For iSolarX applications, the main focus is on reliability, ease of use, optimal wearing comfort and high energy efficiency.

The iSolarX solar technology platform is made up of these functional elements: the solar modules, the textile integration kit, and the charging electronics.

The connection technology is implemented using textiles – textile leads and textile connectors are easy to process (sew / bond) and can be secured in items of clothing e.g. with conducting press studs. The customer-specific textile leads connect the solar modules with the charging electronics. In the basic configuration, two small silicon-based, monocrystalline or polycrystalline solar modules (each approx. 9 cm x 5.5 cm) generate a charging power of approximately 1 Watt in direct sunlight. Other form factors as well as flexible or semi-flexible solar modules are optionally available; these do, however, require about twice the surface area for a comparable charging power.

The charging electronics from SOLARC have been developed to convert the varying power output of the solar modules efficiently into a stable power supply with a stable, adjustable output voltage. A maximum input voltage of 10V and a maximum input current of 1A yields an output power of a maximum of 1.5W. Its flat construction (70 mm x 60 mm x 13 mm) and its low weight of less than 100 grams predestines the charging module for integration into textile products. The output voltage can be set to one of two levels (5V for USB devices such as e.g. iPod, 6V for cell phones). Li-ion rechargeable batteries with different capacities, depending on the model, are used for temporary storage of the energy supplied. The state of charge of the battery and the power generation by the solar modules are each signaled by an LED.