Our clothes do a lot for us. They keep us warm in the winter or cool while we're working out. They let us dress to impress or comfortably veg out on the couch with the TV on. But some researchers think our clothes could be doing even more. Those scientists and engineers are dreaming up new ways to make clothes safer, more comfortable or just more convenient.
Some ideas for new clothes aim to protect people from harm. One new shoe design, for example, features pop-out spikes（鞋钉）on the sole that grip the ground. This could help people keep their footing on slippery or uneven ground. A new fabric coating, meanwhile, could absorb and neutralize (中和) some chemical weapons. That coating is made from a metal-organic framework that breaks down harmful compounds. It could offer protection to people in war-tom countries.
Not all advanced clothing is designed to save lives. Some could just make clothes more comfortable. One day, for instance, you may not need to layer up to stay warm. Fabric filled with nanowires could reflect your body heat back onto your skin. Electric current humming through those metal threads could provide warmth, too. This may be especially useful for hikers, soldiers or others working in super cold conditions.
Some researchers have dreamt up wholly new uses for clothing—like turning wearers into walking power outlets. Flexible solar panels sewn into fabric could absorb the sun to recharge phones or other devices on the go. Another team threaded fabric with magnetized (磁化的) copper and silver to write data into fabrics. Such data-packed fabric could be used as a hands-free key or form of ID.
Many of these ideas have not yet left the lab—and they're still pretty far from hitting retail (零售) shelves. But inventors hope these and other innovations could someday let you get more from your clothes.
