Itsy-Bitsy Solar-Powered Bikini

Monday, 06 June 2011 | by Pat's Picks

Talk about a versatile bikini. The New York Post says a Brooklyn-based designer has come up with a bikini made from photovoltaic panels, which suck up solar energy, and conductive thread. That means you can get a tan and charge your iPod or your iPhone at the same time.

The designer says the biggest challenge was getting enough surface area to actually power something: “The bikini was meant to be small and sexy. Solar power wants all the surface area it can get.” His next project? Beer-cooling solar trunks for men. Using something called a “Peltier junction mechanism,” to produce thermoelectric cooling, the trunk will also feature a charger.

It’s unclear where the bikini is available for sale. But the designer is a former NYU student named Andrew Schneider. Here’s his website.