ThermoFlex Thermoelectric Fabric Enters Mass Production: Body Heat Powers Wearable Devices
Japan's Toray Industries mass-produces ThermoFlex thermoelectric fabric that generates electricity from the temperature difference between body and environment, producing 15 microwatts per square centimeter—enough to continuously power smartwatches and health sensors.
Japan's Toray Industries announced on June 30, 2028, that its ThermoFlex thermoelectric fabric has entered mass production. The fabric, woven from bismuth telluride nanofibers blended with polyester fibers, generates electricity through the Seebeck effect using the temperature difference between human skin and the environment (typically 5 to 10 degrees Celsius). Under standard 25°C room temperature conditions, each square centimeter of ThermoFlex produces approximately 15 microwatts. A short-sleeve T-shirt's fabric area of about 4,000 square centimeters can theoretically generate 60 milliwatts—enough to continuously power a smartwatch or heart rate sensor without charging. Toray has signed supply agreements with Garmin and Huawei, with the first ThermoFlex-equipped smart sportswear expected to hit the market in Q4 2028.
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