German researchers have made sunglasses with colored, semitransparent* solar cells on the lenses that can recharge a phone. The solar cells supply a microprocessor* and two displays with electric power, displaying the solar illumination* intensity and ambient temperature and the glasses can even use some of the energy to power devices such as a phone. The researchers say the technology could pave the way for other future applications, such as the integration of organic solar cells into windows or overhead glazing. Organic solar cells — which use energy from the sun to generate electricity — are unique in that they’re transparent and light-weight, and can be manufactured in different shapes and colors. They can be used for a wide range of applications that can’t be done with conventional* silicon* solar cells, which are heavier and more rigid. The glasses, made by researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, were designed as a case study demonstrating how organic solar cells can be used. “We bring solar power to places where other solar technologies fail,” says Alexander Colsmann, head of Organic Photovoltaics Group at KIT’s Light Technology. The smart Solar Glasses are self-powered to measure and display the degree of solar illumination and the temperature, and they also work in indoor environments.(SD-Agencies) |