Many gadgets we use today were inspired by the fictional gadgets in Star Trek. Communicators inspired cell phones, tablet computers were inspired by the datapads that crew members carried, the medical scanners like Bones used in sick bay are becoming a reality as well.

Finnish company Patria Aviation Oy has developed a type of cloth that’s capable of working as an antenna for the Iridium network and GPS frequency bands, making it possible to actually create a communicator style system similar to the type used in ST:TNG.

The company said the most difficult of the process was choosing the correct fabric with the proper characteristics. Many fabrics change their electrical properties when bent, which would render the them useless as a antenna materiel. The material also contains an insulating layer that protects you from excess radiation coming from wearing an antenna as a shirt.

The first antenna will be made into a shirt, however there is no word on when this product will be made available (if ever) to the public.

[via Networkworld]