While various attempts at solar undergarments have failed to gain much traction, a recent article in Slate, perhaps inspired by the proliferation of kinetic watches, has suggested a different means of drawing electrical power from that most venerable of unmentionables, the brassiere.

It turns out there is an impressively large body of research looking into the kinetics of the bosom, and many options for converting that motion into charge are, in theory, feasible. Rotary generators, such as are used in certain backpacks, could generate a small charge, though only in bras with larger cup sizes. A far more promising approach involves textiles coated with nanowires of zinc oxide, that generate a charge while rubbing against each other, though wear and repeated washing could limit such a bra’s productivity.

In the end, it looks like there will be any number of more promising technologies for harvesting energy from our everyday movements. But the fact that the concept of an energy generating bra has gotten such widespread—and strikingly scientific—attention clearly reflects current interest and waiting investment for developers of cleaner technology.