Solar sunglasses: making the most out of the summer sun

They may or may not set the fashion world alight, but these solar power-generating sunglasses designed by Hyun-Joong Kim and Kwang-Seok Jeong deserve top marks for ingenuity. As well as providing UV protection from the sun, the concept employs dye solar cells integrated into the lenses to power your portable electronic devices.

The Self-Energy Converting Sunglasses (SIG) collect energy through the solar panels and connect to your iPod, mobile phone or PDA via a power jack in the back of the frames. According to Chris Burns at Yanko Design, the creators describe the dye solar cell in the SIG as “cheap organic dye [used with] nano technology [providing] cheap but high energy efficiency.”

And while you’re out soaking up the sun, Yanko has also spotted another gadget that could keep you protected from overexposure. The UV rays detector from MHS Electronics is designed to measure and store data about the time you spend in the sun. The idea is to prevent sun damage to the skin and eyes, including melanoma, with the added safeguard of a connection to your doctor where records are stored.

Via: Yanko Design, Julien Bergignat (UV rays detector).