Positive to positive, negative to… cotton? Scientists and Cornell University have created an electromechanical transistor with cotton fibers. “Creating transistors from cotton fibers brings a new perspective to the seamless integration of electronics and textiles, enabling the creation of wearable electronic devices,” says Cornell University fiber scientist Juan Hinestroza, who was part of the international team that developed the transistors using natural cotton fibers.

So what the heck does this mean in laymen’s terms? The advancement of this technology would result in fabrics that could sense body temperature, automatically heat up or cool down, track heart rate and blood pressure in high-risk patients, and monitor the effort being put forth by high-performance athletes. Cotton was chosen as a base because it is naturally comfortable, durable, sustainable, and relatively inexpensive.