Wearable solar fluidic system.

Abstract

Plants' transpiration, driven by solar energy to flow water and ions, provides an inspiring blueprint for self-powered systems that will revolutionize our interaction with environment and sustain human life. However, mimicking plant transpiration and osmosis in artificial materials remains a major challenge. Here, we present a wearable solar fluidic system that harnesses human sweat to enable self-sufficient freshwater production, energy supply, and information exchange. By designing a photothermal fabric that can generate a temperature gradient between skin and environment, sweat evaporation and ion flow can drive to provide sustained electrical power without external energy input. In outdoor wearing tests, these fluidic fabrics can produce fresh water of 24.2 liters per kilogram and deliver 8.50 volts of power, ultimately powering a Mars rover wirelessly. Our approach provides an emerging pathway toward self-sufficient, portable ecosystems capable of sustaining human life and communication, with the potential to advance wearable technology, fluid engineering, and human exploration.