Heard of EL wires?

Have you ever heard of EL(ElectroLuminiscent) wires?

It  is a thin copper wire coated in a phosphor which glows when an alternating current is applied to it. It can be used in a wide variety of applications—vehicle and/or structure decoration, safety and emergency lighting, toys, clothing etc.—much as rope light or Christmas lights are often used. Unlike these types of strand lights, EL wire is not a series of points, but produces a 360 degree unbroken line of visible light. Its thin diameter makes it flexible and ideal for use in a variety of applications such as clothing or costumes.                                                                          (via http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroluminescent_wire)

It was used in expensive Corvette engines' top cover decoration.

They can be used on clothing or decoration by you as well. Want to know how??

See the tutorial  here : http://www.ladyada.net/learn/el-wire/

EL displays have been used in expensive car dahboards  since 1960s:
Chrysler model of 1960s

Using EL wire sequencers they can also be used to generate moving patterns:
Here we have the fixed matrix

And now the same in dark with the sequncer switched on:

EL diplays have been used in dynamic billboards, the first of which came up at Canada in 2005.

Also the effigy at the Burning Man festival at Black Rock Desert in Nevada is being made using EL wires for some time.

Thanks to Wikipedia :)
To know more read:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EL_wire_sequencer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroluminescence