You could soon charge mobile phones using power from your kitchen table.
British-based designers have developed solar cells that can sit within a glass-topped table to turn light into electricity.
In future, families will simply plug their smartphone into their table rather than the mains.
The solar cells are able to capture power from daylight, rather than needing direct sunlight.
The entire top surface of the table is made of dye-sensitised solar cells which, unlike the more common PV cells, operate efficiently under diffused sunlight.
This makes the so-called Current Table the first piece of furniture said to be capable of harvesting energy indoors.
The table can power lamps, laptops and phones.
And its creators insist it is far more pleasing on the eye than rooftop solar panels that can look ugly, particularly on older buildings.
Designer Marjan van Aubel said: ‘In one day, we receive enough sunlight to provide the whole world with enough electricity for an entire year.
‘The question is how do we capture and store it? That is why we created the Current Table.’
They hope to start producing the tables next year.
© Daily Mail