Smart technology affects us all no matter what we are doing. It is in our mobile phones, televisions, cars and is even starting to take control of our home appliances. It makes life easier and now it seems that even window manufacturers are starting to incorporate smart technology into their designs.
Let’s took a look at some technological developments we will see with regard to smart windows in the future.
Solar windows
We’ve all seen solar panels on the tops of people’s houses absorbing the sun’s rays and converting it into energy. Well, new technology has been developed that means that solar concentrators can be installed into windows to collect the sun’s rays in the same way. The concentrators are transparent and ultra-thin meaning they won’t darken the windows in the same way that normal solar panels would. The technology is still in its infancy, but it looks like the potential for future use is huge.
Electrochromic technology
This technology enables homeowners to tint their windows like those supplied by leading provider of windows Dublin based https://www.keanewindows.ie/windows-dublin/ by merely pressing a button. The issue with this technology in the past has been that it takes a full seven minutes before the window becomes fully tinted. New technology coming out of Stanford University has resulted in the time being reduced to a mere three minutes. The technology is great for reducing glare and improving the privacy of your home.
Transition technology
This is similar to the technology mentioned above, however, it uses thermochromic technology as described in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermochromism, as opposed to electricity to alter the tint of the window. The idea behind it is to cool your house without the need for air conditioning. So when the temperature heats up the windows start to tint, keeping the sun’s rays out and hopefully reducing your household energy expenses.
Self-cleaning
New robotic cleaners that attach to windows are able to clean the entire pane from one side to the other, meaning you don’t have to. This technology isn’t mainstream, however, and is still very expensive.
Bird proof
By incorporating a pattern that cannot be seen by the human eye, scientists have created a glass that alerts birds of the potential danger ahead. Rather than seeing an empty space they see a barrier which cannot be passed.