Smart Glass

Switchable glass or better known as smart glass is a type of glass which can control the light passing through it. The glass can be made transparent, translucent, or opaque. It is also known as light control glass. Its electrochromic technology allows people who spend 90% of their time indoors, to have greater access to natural light and the outdoors.

Most architects and building owners prefer to have the maximum possible natural light to come into their living and working spaces, but will cover the glass used in windows with tints, or with curtains, blinds or shades, in order to have a control over the light coming though. This requires additional expense and installation of fittings, and attention to their constant operation. Smart glass allows you to do the same things by controlling the amount of light through the use of electricity.

The Use of Smart Glass

Smart glass which is electronically switchable glass gives architects and designers of interiors the ability to control glare, the light coming in, and also UV radiation. It can ensure privacy by just the use of a switch, and this makes it perfect for business centers, restaurants and other buildings where such control of light is considered necessary. They can be used in windows, doors, glass walls and other partitions, the interiors of hospitals, hotels, restaurants, shower cubicles, bathrooms and toilets. An opaque partition will reduce the light, but will lead to rooms looking smaller. A smart glass partition will always appear clear, allowing the overall space to look big, and for privacy or other reasons can be made opaque by just the operation of a switch.

What Is the Technology Behind Smart Glass

The two most widely used technologies for smart glass are polymer dispersed liquid crystal, and suspended particle glass. Dissolved liquid crystals that are not compatible with other materials are applied on the polymer or glass and form crystals on it. These scatter light and give the glass a milky appearance. When electricity is applied to these crystals, they align themselves and allow light to pass through. Suspended particle smart glass has nanoparticles randomly organized on film or the glass and block and absorb light. The application of electricity to them, leads to the same process of alignment occurring that then lets light through. It is also possible to install these crystal layers on existing glass.

By varying the voltage, the amount of light passing through the glass can be controlled as per the users requirements. This voltage control can be through sensors, and even integrated with computer systems, that allow every window to be able to control the light passing through, individually.

You can also make the glass completely opaque and use it as a display screen. Once the required degree of opacity is reached , the power can be switched off.

Most changes in the control of light are slow, but the technology is improving. Switching speeds are constantly being increased and it is possible in the present day for the glass to start darkening in 15 seconds and be fully dark in 3 minutes. Earlier technologies required ten times more time. The tinting in the smart glass is uniform and users can stop the tinting at any time they have reached the tint that they find best.