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The Military Power Technology

Australian Army Invests in Electrical Shirts 124

Posted by samzenpus from the shocking-sleeves dept.
Stony Stevenson writes "The Australian Defence Department has injected $4.4 million worth of funding to further Australia's national science agency's (the CSIRO) research into designing clothing which can be used as a self-recharging electrical source on the battlefield. The Defence Department is hoping the technology can be used to replace cumbersome disposable batteries that soldiers must carry on the battlefield. The Flexible Integrated Energy Device (FIED) will be used to store and provide energy over a continuous period of time. It can be charged by either vibration energy harvesting or through plugging into an electrical power point."
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Australian Army Invests in Electrical Shirts More

Australian Army Invests in Electrical Shirts

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  • Cold ones (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    As long as it can keep beer cold.

    • Re: (Score:2, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward
      I have a better idea, involving kangaroos and treadmill-powered refrigerators.

      • Just a question... (Score:2, Funny)

        by Anonymous Coward

        ...hoping the technology can be used to replace cumbersome disposable batteries that soldiers must carry on the battlefield. The Flexible Integrated Energy Device (FIED) will be used to store and provide energy over a continuous period of time. It can be charged by either vibration energy harvesting or through plugging into an electrical power point."

        Just curious .. if the vibration energy is derived from a battery powered device, does this mean that our female soldiers on solo assignments can safely assume they will never run out of batteries?

  • Then I could have constant battery charging.
    Unfortunately I don't think these will be able to make enough power to fully power a decent computer but it would be able to do small thing like civilian uses such as cell phones/PDAs or a more military application of radios which would be great in combat away from power outlets, but I really want the civilian use so I can enjoy this too! Must be expensive to produce though.

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by ShieldW0lf ( 601553 )
      Having spent some time in the field wearing various uniforms, I have to say, the idea of wearing a bunch of plastic and metal fibers in the field doesn't sound very appealing. It sounds like a recipe for heat exhaustion.

      Are other energy sources really so inconvenient that this is justifiable?

      • Are other energy sources really so inconvenient that this is justifiable?

        It is the same reason someone venturing into the jungle alone might want one of these [slashdot.org], you wouldn't need it in any normal circumstanced but it would be a great safety tool and just like the USA want to get rid of foreign oil dependencies I think the military would like to have alternative sources of power in case their power source is shut down or blown up. It might even be able to double as armor and even if it is never used it will have many other civilian applications.

        Plus it is one step closer to a

    • Must be expensive to produce though.
      It can't be too expensive if they're handing them out among any significant portion of the troops.

  • heh. (Score:5, Funny)

    by apodyopsis ( 1048476 ) on Thursday November 01, 2007 @04:12AM (#21194063)
    Thats great, now they just need to give out a load of free pin ups pics so they can all get to work cranking up a good charge to power their gear.

    • Thats great, now they just need to give out a load of free pin ups pics so they can all get to work cranking up a good charge to power their gear.
      Heyyy.. I think I just came up with an idea for a perpetual motion .. er.. vibration device.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by biocute ( 936687 )
        Why women soldiers? I'm sure if male soldiers are left out there long enough, they would appreciate a vibration device just as well as their female counterparts.

        • Why women soldiers? I'm sure if male soldiers are left out there long enough, they would appreciate a vibration device just as well as their female counterparts.
          Indeed, why stop there? They should spend another 4 million and develop the Nude Bomb and shower the enemy skies with toys. Then it's just a matter of waiting before the enemy nation becomes a tourist haven for obese elderly nudists. Even the thought of that would be enough to cause widespread peace, I'd have thought.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by instarx ( 615765 )
            Indeed, why stop there? They should spend another 4 million and develop the Nude Bomb and shower the enemy skies with toys.

            You jest, but we've been there already. Heard about the proposed [and cancelled] "gay bomb" to turn enemy soldiers gay? Or the unexploded cluster bomblets that were shaped and colored like childrens toys? That's one I'd like to think was unintentional. Taking it further, how about food bombs? In the Balkans war the US dropped pallets of relief supplies on top of people, killing many.
        • I'm sure he was talking about their boobs jiggling or bouncing up and down without a bra rather than an actual vibrator used for vaginal stimulation. That would just consume precious power rather than generate it like the boob vibrator would.

        • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

          by Eivind ( 15695 )
          That problem lessens itself if you've got both types of soldiers.

  • Now say after me (Score:4, Insightful)

    by bakuun ( 976228 ) on Thursday November 01, 2007 @04:22AM (#21194095)
    The first law of thermodynamics states: "The increase in the internal energy of a system is equal to the amount of energy added by heating the system, minus the amount lost as a result of the work done by the system on its surroundings".

    This means that while it is perfectly possible in theory for soldiers to charge batteries by running around, they will have to exert that extra energy themselves. I doubt that any soldiers (already heavily laden with weapons, body-armour and other gear) will want to wear suit that requires more energy from you for movements than normal suits.

    • Re:Now say after me (Score:5, Interesting)

      by bestiarosa ( 938309 ) <`moc.citsatprocm ... `60405595tnega'> on Thursday November 01, 2007 @04:30AM (#21194131)
      True, but I guess those shirt will harvest energy from body heat the soldiers would have lost anyway and from movements the soldiers would have done anyway. This way, the shirt would only be recycling energy which would've been otherwise lost.

      On the other hand, imagine if the battery somehow breaks starting to leak acid all over the guy's skin.

    • Yeah, but... (Score:5, Insightful)

      by amake ( 673443 ) on Thursday November 01, 2007 @04:34AM (#21194147) Homepage
      ...if [the extra exertion required to charge this shirt] is less than or equal to [the energy needed to haul around those batteries the shirt will be replacing], then it's a net win. In fact, even if the shirt requires more exertion, it might still be worth it not to have to worry, "Do I have my batteries with me today?" "Are my batteries charged?"

      • ...if [the extra exertion required to charge this shirt] is less than or equal to [the energy needed to haul around those batteries the shirt will be replacing], then it's a net win.
        Y'know... I think you just invented perpetual motion! Who'd have thought the missing factor would be human effort. All those idiots messing round with magnets.

         

        • Re:Yeah, but... (Score:4, Informative)

          by jank1887 ( 815982 ) on Thursday November 01, 2007 @08:15AM (#21195319)
          that's not what he said. Let me translate:

          Current method is inefficient. New method is also inefficient, but not as bad as first method. Thus, even though the total system energy will be depleted eventually, less is being wasted rather than being converted to useful work in the new method. SO IFF the new method is 'less bad', the overall system will see an improvement in function. No perpetual motion required. The guy still has to 'plug in' at some point.

        • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

          by timeOday ( 582209 )

          Y'know... I think you just invented perpetual motion!

          Bull. You almost have to wonder if people should even be taught the laws of thermodynamics, they're so eager to run off and leap to unsupported conclusions. Every single story in any way related to power, somebody refers to the laws of thermodynamics to "prove" it's not a good idea because "the power still has to come from somewhere." I got news for you kids, that doesn't mean all power sources are equally useful, economic, reliable, efficient, or

      • now the question will be "did my shirt get mixed in with the non-electrical laundry?"
        and "will this thing shock me everytime it rains?"
    • but what about the weight of the batteries you carry?

      As a signalman you'll carry a fair few, now which is a better use of energy, using it to haul around 15 kilo of batteries, or being lighter but using a little extra energy for charging batteries?
      • How about option number 3, a portable power source that generates energy by being moved around, clips onto your web harness with a carabiner, but doesn't trap heat or sweat and won't be ruined when you rip your clothing climbing through trees, rubble, barbed wire, razor wire, etc.

        As for your example, if this were issued to signalmen as a replacement for batteries and not a replacement for standard issue gear, what happens when the signalman gets shot? Are you going to trade uniforms with them on the battle

    • Re: (Score:2, Informative)

      by das_magpie ( 1149995 )

      I doubt that any soldiers (already heavily laden with weapons, body-armour and other gear)

      Yes but this is a start in the reduction of heavily laden gear.

      The increase in the internal energy of a system is equal to the amount of energy added by heating the system, minus the amount lost as a result of the work done by the system on its surroundings".

      Whats this really matter its still a plus for the soldiers system must do the work regardless and the expended energy is going into a system which has a positive effect on the soldier as it is lighter then previous disposable solution?

    • The laws of thermodynamics hold perfectly true, but it's not a simple closed system. This system sounds as if it is harvesting waste energy. (the running that the soldier is already doing) The extra effort exists in the weight of the unit, but since it replaces another, chemical battery system, the tradeoff will likely be negligible.

      • Re: (Score:2, Informative)

        by bakuun ( 976228 )

        This system sounds as if it is harvesting waste energy. (the running that the soldier is already doing)
        The running is not waste energy - the energy used for running is spent up doing just that - running. Granted, the muscles will produce heat, which can be used - but the article seems to suggest that it is not heat which will charge the batteries, but rather the actual motion.

        • Re:Just finish high school physics? (Score:5, Informative)

          by CastrTroy ( 595695 ) on Thursday November 01, 2007 @06:03AM (#21194521)
          But they have to run regardless of which system they have used. They are actually replacing heavy non-rechargable batteries, which may run out, with this new system, which probably weighs about the same, but provides much more reliable power.
          • I agree except replace "probably" with hopefully. I agree the concern is the weight change (if any), the rest just sounds like efficiency, although I do wonder how powerful of a charge they are talking about here.
    • They will already be doing work to bend and flex their existing suits, it's just being lost as there is no mechanism to catch it
    • It all depends on whether the extra force is more than carrying batteries around or not.
    • The main thrust of the technology is to both distribute the battery weight around and harvest some energy to charge them, looks like possibly up and down movement of a walking/running person. since they have to lift the battery anyway (stated as weighing several kilos in the article) as long as the charging mechanism does not weigh too much it would be quite useful. just off the top of my head the cells up and down movement in the jacket could pull directly on a cable hooked up to a geared flywheel to driv

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by casals ( 885017 )
      == laboral gymnastics?

    • This means that while it is perfectly possible in theory for soldiers to charge batteries by running around, they will have to exert that extra energy themselves.

      Not true! All you gotta do is, give the troops the kind of shoes I'm wearing to work today, and then carpet bomb (heh heh) the entire battle zone with bits of the same carpet we have here at the office. I tell you, I have plenty of power at my fingertips (zapouch), and I don't feel one bit tired. It even keeps me on my toes, one might say.

    • Even notice that smart people still come off as stupid sometimes.

      The first law of thermodynamics states: "The increase in the internal energy of a system is equal to the amount of energy added by heating the system, minus the amount lost as a result of the work done by the system on its surroundings".

      Where does it say that the suits/shirts will require more movement? Most people move on a regular basis...just suppose for a moment that this includes those in the military. You see they already move and would

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by mstahl ( 701501 )

      The first law of thermodynamics states

      Now just stop it right there. I understand you're super hyped about quoting something from your physics textbook to try to make TFA seem ridiculous, but just simmah down a second. Soldiers already have to run/march all over the place and they do a lot of moving around. Provided this shirt (read "shirt" not "cumbersome bodysuit") doesn't impair their movement any more than the rest of their equipment (or if it impairs them negligibly) then yes this is basically while not necessarily "free" energy it's "rid

  • Styling (Score:5, Funny)

    by Edgyboy ( 1157885 ) on Thursday November 01, 2007 @04:25AM (#21194111) Homepage
    Are they going to look like Dynamo from the movie ''Running man''?
    If not, I'm not interested.
  • Maybe they should be investing in armor which give a soldier a "high degree of agility, stealth and physical endurance" [news.com.au] instead.
    • He was SAS, so when they say he died "on patrol" that isn't what he was actually doing...

      • Re: (Score:1)

        by SJ2000 ( 1128057 )
        Obviously, but the comment made in defense of the lack of body armor is still valid if you imagine what environment he was working in

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by mrjb ( 547783 )
      Then again, maybe they should not be investing in the army at all. Although I must admit that the idea is novel and cool. Perhaps integrate it with smart fabrics that allow changing the print/color of a t-shirt? Would be cool to wear in the disco (which I avoid like the plague, by the way). Welcome back eighties!

  • Ask any Grunt... (Score:4, Funny)

    by NewToNix ( 668737 ) on Thursday November 01, 2007 @04:35AM (#21194151) Journal
    And he'll tell you all that's needed is a fuel cell powered by sweat. Then he could pack even highly inefficient energy weapons into battle & still have power to spare.

    Just for those of you that may not be familiar with the term: Grunt [wikipedia.org]

    • That isn't actually as insane an idea as it may sound. In climates where the outdoor temperature is lower than the body temperature you could theoretically convert a fraction of the thermal energy that flows out of the body into electricity. Of course, the second law of thermodynamics limit the efficiency of the conversion, so you wouldn't get a whole lot of energy out of it unless it was REALLY cold outside, so a battery or flexible solar cells in the fabric would probably be preferable.

      Then of course we h
  • I thought our politicians only saw it fit to buy decommissioned US junk, such as 30 year-old helicopters, and the odd fleet of dud tanks and fighter jets. Perhaps this is Howard's idea of renewable resources. Personally, I'd rather just put the grunts put to work in a more economic - imagine how much clean energy we could produce if we took our soldiers from the bloodbaths in Iraq and Afghanistan, and lined them up in a big grid of treadmill generators. We could put a picture of Kylie Minogue in front of th

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by SJ2000 ( 1128057 )
      'Rumour' has it that the F-111G have already been decommissioned quietly http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=295292 [pprune.org]

    • Re: (Score:1, Interesting)

      by moosesocks ( 264553 )
      To be perfectly fair, don't you see it as a 'very good thing' that Australia has no *need* for a massive high-tech army?

      (At least in my eyes) Australia is fairly well-respected in the international community, and doesn't have any highly lucrative natural resources -- it's also completely surrounded by water. In fact, I'd peg a stable government and an educated populace as being its two greatest assets. You'd be absolutely daft to seriously consider going to war with Australia. You'd have very little to g

      • Re: (Score:2, Informative)

        by Onetus ( 23797 )

        and doesn't have any highly lucrative natural resources
        Actually we do. Our economy is based on exporting numerous resources to the world.
        Most of the exportable metals, plus coal, coal and more coal.
        We've also got the oil and natural gas reserves in Bass Strait.

        Oh and strangely enough Fosters beer. Why you overseas people drink it, we'll never understand.

        • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

          by z0idberg ( 888892 )
          As well as 40% of the worlds uranium deposits.
        • The stranger thing about Fosters beer is, in my experience, everytime somebody in America is drinking it, they talk about how bad it is. Then someone else chimes in that he's been to Australia and Australians don't drink it. Yet, people keep drinking it and the cycle repeats itself. Americans have an affinity for drinking nasty beer (e.g., Natural Light, Miller High Life, most everything made by Budweiser, Miller and Coors, etc).
        • Canada is more in this boat than the one described earlier.

          Alberta Oilsands (and many other oil projects), Potable Water, precious metals, etc. Seems like oil is popular these days and there are predictions that water will become more popular than oil in the future. Besides we need water to produce cold, crisp, canadian beer.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by sqldr ( 838964 )
          Oh and strangely enough Fosters beer. Why you overseas people drink it, we'll never understand.

          Because it's a different beer. Up until the 70s, fosters was available imported (and mainly drunk by Australian ex-pats, before the brand became rejected in Australia), but later on, Courage decided to use the brand to make the beer in the UK. Alas, they didn't follow the recipe to the letter and made something quite different.

          I'd still call it "cooking lager" (you'd hardly use your best lager for cooking),
        • Canada (access to the US market, multicultural) + Australia (proximity to China, relative isolation from outside influences) is going to be a big challenge. It's happening already.

      • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

        by Namors ( 934315 )

        doesn't have any highly lucrative natural resources

        Well I wouldn't say that exactly
        http://www.australianminesatlas.gov.au/info/info.jsp [australian...las.gov.au]

        Australia has about 5% of the world's EDR of magnesite
        Australia has 10% of the worlds EDR of Iron ore
        Australia's EDR of industrial diamond 19% of the current World total
        Australia's 37% of of worlds EDR of Nickel

        The USGS estimate of World gold reserves of 42 000 t was similar to 2005 According to the USGS, South Africa still has the World's largest reserve of gold at 6000 t (14.3% a similar level as in 2005. Acco

      • Re: (Score:2, Interesting)

        by EnigmaPenguin ( 1182751 )
        I only really would point out two things.

        "and doesn't have any highly lucrative natural resources"
        Who would ever want all that oil, gas, coal, bauxite, various other heavy metals, gold, uranium ( of which we have a lot of), diamonds, pearls right? Some people postulate that war will be waged over the worlds resources one day, why not consider that a point when you have all those people screaming about peak oil. Whether you believe it or not, it only takes for the enemy to believe it.

        "it's also completely s
        • Canada can spare three tanks (Leopard 2), 3 CF-18s and a bunch of Boy Scouts trained in the use of knives. You got transport?

          JTF2 will go in first.
      • Maybe as a base of operations against the Arctic Convoys [wikipedia.org]?
      • From Wikipedia:

        Australia is the world's largest exporter of coal (35% of international trade), iron ore, lead, diamonds, rutile, zinc and zirconium, second largest of gold and uranium, and third largest of aluminium.

        Infact, although Australia is currently the second largest exporter of uranium it has the worlds largest known reserves, weighing in at about 30%.

        At the moment the chances of Australia being invaded are about the same as America or the UK being invaded - next to nothing.

        The truth is that the primary role of our armed services has never been defense of the home soil, it has been to take part in overseas wars or peacekeeping missions.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by vandan ( 151516 )

        Australia is fairly well-respected in the international community,

        Hardly. We're in the Axis of Evil that invaded Afghanistan and Iraq. The US, UK and Australia consistently provoke international condemnation by supporting Israel, refusing to ratify Kyoto ( UK is off the hook here ), and 'leading' the war on terror. We're the world's hypocrites. Maybe you feel that other Westerners think highly of Australians, and that might be so, but if you ask people what they think of our foreign policy, it's a radical

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by modecx ( 130548 )
      I thought our politicians only saw it fit to buy decommissioned US junk, such as 30 year-old helicopters

      To be fair, there's plenty of late twenty, 30-40 and even 50 year old aircraft in the US military inventory. Sure, most have had their share of upgrades, but they're still doing their job.

  • Sounds like a great idea, perhaps. (Score:5, Interesting)

    by backbyter ( 896397 ) on Thursday November 01, 2007 @04:46AM (#21194195)
    The extra weight of the clothing is offset by not having to carry the extra batteries. So it shouldn't place anymore weight on the troop. I know it's much more convenient for me to wear a loaded photographers vest than it is to carry the bag. Same weight, but the distribution of that weight on your shoulders feels much better at the end of the day.

    My concerns are these.

    What's this vest made of? If a trooper takes a bullet through the vest, what type of stuff from the vest is going to follow the bullet into the body?

    If this shirt is meant to be worn under armor then what impact does the constraint of being sandwiched between the body and the armor have on the overall effectiveness of the shirt?

    If the shirt is meant to be worn over the armor, is there any redundancy to the power generation when the shirt takes a hit? With batteries, the trooper could always ask a buddy for a spare battery. Asking for the shirt from your buddies back, in combat, would probably be looked on negatively.

    • Re: (Score:1, Interesting)

      by Anonymous Coward
      The shirt probably has a wire coming out of it somewhere, so if they desperately needed the power under fire then they could borrow their buddys' shirt's power, otherwise they'd get a replacement (probably following the same procedure as if a regular battery had conked out).
    • is there any redundancy to the power generation when the shirt takes a hit?

      Darn, no power. If only I could play some soothing tunes on my iPod to take my mind off my sucking chest wound......
  • This may require some extra care in using today's less-lethal weapons.... lest the tazer become the tazee!

  • Surely FRIED... (Score:5, Funny)

    by casley ( 111661 ) on Thursday November 01, 2007 @05:11AM (#21194299)
    Come on... Flexible Rechargeable Integrated Energy Device is much better. I'd wear a fried shirt - wouldn't you?

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by bint ( 125997 )
      Not a Flexible Rechargeable Integrated Energy Shirt then? As in "You want FRIES with that?"

  • Much better idea (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Colin Smith ( 2679 ) on Thursday November 01, 2007 @05:13AM (#21194315)
    Build some solar cells into their helmets.

     
    • Solar cells would need to charge a battery, otherwise the soldier's gear wouldn't work in certain weather conditions, underground, under water, etc.
    • Nothing like putting a shiney target on yourself to make your enemy's day that much easier. There's a reason why combat uniforms don't have bright bits of metal for insignia like the dress uniforms.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by stor ( 146442 )
      Build some solar cells into their helmets.

      Ouch! That would be uncomfortable. Also you won't get much light in your pants even if you think the sun shines out of your arse.

      Oh... you mean the helmets on their heads? Never mind.

      -Stor

  • fremen (Score:3, Interesting)

    by rucs_hack ( 784150 ) on Thursday November 01, 2007 @05:16AM (#21194327)
    Sooner or later this kind of tech is going to result in a stilsuit. Hope so anyway, those things are just too cool not to be instantiated.

    Seriously though, if we colonise mars, they will be more then interesting, they may well be essential.

    Frank Herbert had way more right than people realise. Except for the spice thing, but if I have this right, in his original musings on the story, spice wasn't as important, and it was Stilgar, not Paul Atraides who was to be the major character.
    • I meant Liet Kiens, not Stilgar
    • You have it wrong. Spice is integral to Dune. Without it the spacing guild cannot "see" safe routes between the stars. Therefore interstellar travel/commerce/war are not possible. The planet Dune's monopoly on spice production is its primary means of income. Stilgar is a surrogate father to Paul but by no means the main character.
      • I meant Liet Keins, not Stilgar, and I corrected that in a reply above yours...

        In fact a great deal of the Dune story takes place without mentioning spice at all. In later books it it little more then a luxury item, only used by the spacing guild for anything serious. It's only of primary importance in book one.
    • Sooner or later this kind of tech is going to result in a stilsuit. Hope so anyway, those things are just too cool not to be instantiated.
      Afaict the main ways in which the body loses water are breathing and sweating,

      I would imagine if you could keep the body cool enough to avoid sweating and condensed the moisture from breathing out you would probablly gain not lose water (remember respiration converts carbohydrates and oxygen into water and CO2 from your system).

      the real problem as I see it is how to get r
  • ... so they can shove it.
  • Let me guess... Nylon?
  • I know soldiers are going to be eager to strap F-IED's to their bodies.
  • Used on soldiers today, tomorrow entire continents may be powered by small children on sugar dressed in overalls made this way.

    Just don't let them go swimming wearing that.
  • Remember the Half-Life expansion pack, Opposing Force? Remember what our friend Adrian Shephard was wearing during the Black Mesa incident? A "powered combat vest". I wonder if they'll start issuing a heavy pipe-wrench with those PCV's anytime soon. Maybe they've got crabs in the deserts down there, headcrabs!
  • If a soldier gets shot? What would typically be a bad flesh wound now has an electric battery system thrown in there as well...
    • Imagine if he were wearing something lithium polymer related. Maybe we could instruct them to shoot themselves to take out more of the enemy. All that's lacking now is to teach them to be soldiers while they are still children. Ah.. but I take things too far again.. shame on me.

  • Another feature (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Maljin Jolt ( 746064 )
    Shock shirts: soldiers will _always_ obey their orders without any hesitation.
  • Now if we could only apply this principle in the office - imagine the potential power wasted by not harvesting all the hot air generated in meetings.
  • Being able to walk up to someone and say "Touch my shirt" and watching them fry like flies on a bug zapper would be priceless.
  • Sounds like a Halo Situation

    perhaps Dr Freeman's suit in HL 2....

    Uhh.. a comment like this makes me think I gotta quit playing games for awhile.
  • If you do just a teensy bit of the math, the idea of recharging by "vibration" or body motion is revealerd to be quite ridiculous.

    First let's estimate how much of your body motion you would not mind having drained off. Let's say you're walking, that takes about 0.05 horsepower. Let's assume you would not mind having some VERY STIFF pants that siphon off 10% of your walking power. That's 0.005 of a horsepower.

    Then let's assume that the motion sensors are 20% efficient, which is rather high for your typ

    • Something tells me that the army has number crunchers of their own, and have made similar computations (without numbers pulled from their ass) and decided it was more efficient than carrying batteries.
  • Time out while I recharge my shirt!
  • Colonel: Sargeant, your men are all bedraggled looking! I thought they were in tip top shape! A 40 mile march shouldn't have them this beaten.

    Sargeant: I don't know what could be wrong, sir. We just gave them these new shirts so they don't even have to carry their batteries anymore.

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