China has created a thermoelectric fabric that can power gadgets and cool the body

A group of researchers from China developed fabric that can generate energy from body heat to power wearable electronics such as a pedometer or an LED panel for cyclists.

The fabric is not suitable for making clothes, but can be used as inserts. The working prototype is made in the form of a bracelet that can be twisted, bent and stretched.

“Due to the temperature difference between the body and the environment, thermoelectric textiles can theoretically generate energy around the clock,” said Zhang Kun, study author and professor at Donghua University in Shanghai.

According to his research, the fabric has excellent mechanical and thermoelectric properties with an output voltage of about 0.28 volts at an air temperature of about 8 degrees Celsius. This means that it can power small electrical devices.

More importantly, this technology can be used to lower body temperature by several degrees. According to scientists, on a hot day, it will allow to cool the human body by up to 15 ° C to a comfortable 35 ° C in a 45-degree heat.

There are no details about the practical implementation of such technology yet, but Chinese scientists are extremely optimistic. Perhaps in a few years the first clothes will appear, in which it will not be hot even under the scorching sun.

Note that this is not the first such development from China. Last year, scientists from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan submitted "smart fabric" that most effectively reflects the sun's rays and dissipates heat.