Coming Soon: Fabrics That Generate Electricity

Oh, it also detects pressure.

More piezoelectric goodness: An artificial fabric that combines optical fiber and (you guessed it) piezoelectric technology is in the works, according to a research team in MIT. The material, aside from sensing even tiny amounts of pressure applied to it, can also produce its own power.

We're practically blue talking about piezoelectric components and how they can generate electric currents from vibrations, but MIT's creation is special because of its versatility. The fabric is slated for a wide range of uses, such as detecting potential structural failures, to miniscule ultrasound imagers that can go inside the human body.

No word yet on when MIT's invention will work its way into practical applications, so stay tuned!