‘Sphelar textile’ could lead to energy-generating clothing.

A Japanese company has shown off a textile containing micro solar cells able to harvest energy from the sun. The textile contains 1.2mm spherical solar cells which are able to receive light from any direction, as opposed to traditional solar cells which need to be angled towards the light source.

While the company hasn’t announced plans to bring the product to market yet, if it was developed into a washable fabric it could potentially be used to make clothing able to power smartphones and portable devices, or curtains which could create energy for a house.