Switchable smart glass is taking a leap forward and is freeing itself from mains power with Intelligent Glass’s new battery-powered Switchable Vision Panels. Removing the need for mains electricity means no extra cabling work, reducing both cost and installation time as a result.
Switchable smart glass continues to grow in popularity, especially used as a privacy window, but its reach has been limited by being tethered to the mains power supply.
This need for mains electricity meant that installing switchable vision panels in doors, in places without a nearby power supply, or even on the move, used to be both complicated and expensive.
Intelligent Glass tackled this issue head on and developed its new, patent-pending battery powered Switchable Vision Panels. Designed as a real alternative to sealed glazed units with integral blinds, Vision Panels offer the added benefit of no motors or moving mechanical parts.
Removing the need for mains electricity means no extra cabling work, reducing both cost and installation time as a result. It also means that switchable glass becomes mobile, with applications in vehicles, boats and aircraft.
Intelligent Glass’s Switchable Vision Panels are fully integrated into the door itself, with a stainless steel battery compartment concealed within the door structure. The replaceable battery is designed to last at least 18 months in normal use, and replacement is a straightforward task, requiring just an Allen key.
The skills and techniques needed to add a Vision Panel to a door are comparable to installing a mortise lock and a standard glass window, with the addition of a few simple electrical connections. For door manufacturers, this removes the need for any significant retraining or retooling in order to add Vision Panels to their range.
Available in a range of standard shapes, plus custom sizes on request, the applications for battery-powered switchable Vision Panels are endless, including:
•hospital wards and operating theatres;
•meeting rooms and board rooms;
•homes, caravans, boats, vehicles and aircraft;
•prisons and detention rooms;
•financial institutions;
•schools and nurseries;
•retail displays and product reveals;
•and transport.
Jamie Conroy, Sales Manager at Intelligent Glass, says: “We’re very proud to have successfully unleashed switchable glass from the mains. It means that this technology can now be implemented in places where cost or installation issues would have been big barriers.”
“We’re confident that manufacturers, architects and designers will take this innovative product to heart, revealing ever more creative and practical applications for switchable glass vision panels.”