Soaking up the rays may now yield more benefits than creating a George Hamilton-like complexion. New York designer Andrew Schneider has created a bikini that can charge many of your small devices via solar energy – the bikini is covered in photovoltaic solar cells. Each suit, which takes about 80 hours for the designer to construct, sports USB connectors for charging your iPod, MP3 player or similar gadget, whilst your lounging in the sun.

The bikini doesn’t store any energy, but charges devices directly for the solar energy it absorbs at very low voltage, posing no threat of shock to the wearer. And you can’t charge a gadget while you’re wet. I can only speculate that the solar cells probably don’t make this the most comfortable suit to wear. Each hand-stitched, custom bikini sells for around $180. Hot, or not?

photos: caters news agency  via: metro.co.uk