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    Content by Mika Satomi and Hannah Perner-Wilson
    E-Textile Tailor Shop by KOBAKANT
    The following institutions have funded our research and supported our work:

    Since 2020, Hannah is guest professor of the Spiel&&Objekt Master's program at the University of Performing Arts Ernst Busch in Berlin

    From 2013-2015 Mika was a guest professor at the eLab at Kunsthochschule Berlin-Weissensee

    From July - December 2013 Hannah was a researcher at the UdK's Design Research Lab

    From 2010-2012 Mika was a guest researcher in the Smart Textiles Design Lab at The Swedish School of Textiles

    From 2009 - 2011 Hannah was a graduate student in the MIT Media Lab's High-Low Tech research group led by Leah Buechley


    In 2009 Hannah and Mika were both research fellows at the Distance Lab


    Between 2003 - 2009 Hannah and Mika were both students at Interface Cultures
    We support the Open Source Hardware movement. All our own designs published on this website are released under the Free Cultural Works definition
    Power

    Solar cells

    A solar cell or photovoltaic cell is a device that converts light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect. Sometimes the term solar cell is reserved for devices intended specifically to capture energy from sunlight, while the term photovoltaic cell is used when the light source is unspecified. Assemblies of cells are used to make solar panels, solar modules, or photovoltaic arrays.
    How does it work??
    Photons in sunlight hit the solar panel and are absorbed by semiconducting materials, such as silicon.
    Electrons (negatively charged) are knocked loose from their atoms, allowing them to flow through the material to produce electricity. Due to the special composition of solar cells, the electrons are only allowed to move in a single direction. The complementary positive charges that are also created (like bubbles) are called holes and flow in the direction opposite of the electrons in a silicon solar panel.
    An array of solar cells converts solar energy into a usable amount of direct current (DC) electricity.
    (from wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cell)


    1. Three parallel solar cells (0.6v each)
    creates 1.7v under the desk light.
    not enough for BEAM
    2. Three parallel solar cells (from Richard)
    creates 4.6v under the desk light.
    not enough for BEAM
    3. flexible solar cells (from Richard)
    creates 3v under the desk light.
    enough for BEAM
    4. solar cells (from overhead bot)
    creates 3v under the desk light.
    enough for BEAM


    5. solar cells (from Conrad)
    creates 5.4v under the desk light.
    enough for BEAM
    6. solar cells (from Conrad)
    creates 4.5v under the desk light.
    enough for BEAM

    The one I used for the Solar T-Shirt is from Conrad.
    (Product ID: 191308) 4V 35mA

    Here is the link to the product>> conrad

    1 Comment so far

    1. Kevin Wang on November 13th, 2012

      Huaxu Energy is a mini solar panel manufacturer with plenty of experience on
      design & solution providing in China.

      *Customized specification are welcome
      *Epoxy coated and PET laminated technology for options
      *2 years warranty

      Thank you and hope you will like it.

      Kevin Wang

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