With bad news arriving each day, it’s easy to forget that we live in an age of innovation. From driverless cars to robots that deliver food, dozens of exciting products are poised to enter the market in the coming years. The home design world is no different, with new smart glass technology posed to transform our homes.
So, what are these technological wonders that await? In this article, we pick out the most exciting glass products set to enter our homes over the next 10 to 20 years. What’s more, many of these innovations promise to save us money while reducing our carbon footprint.
“Chameleon” glass
Colour-changing glass is set to revolutionise how we think about interior colour schemes. Scientists in the US have made astonishing breakthroughs in this particular field, with early samples yielding amazing results. The idea is simple: by flicking a switch, molecules bounce around in the glass to turn into a new colour.
Does this new tech require lot of electricity to make work? Quite the opposite. The amount of energy used to switch from colour to colour is minuscule. Indeed, 100 panes of colour-changing glass uses the same energy of an incandescent lamp for this simple task.
Smart glass for your appliances
Smart glass is coming soon to a fridge near you. Soon enough, current features such ice dispensers and digital clock faces will look rather quaint by comparison. Future fridges will instead boast a plethora of integrated gadgets to make life that much easier. Chief among them is a tablet-style smart glass screen built into the face – great for flicking through recipes, checking the family calendar or playing music.
Windows, but not as we know it
Glass windows aren’t supposed to do anything complicated. For most homeowners, letting in light whilst keeping out noise and foul weather is all that’s needed. Researchers, however, have spotted a potential new benefit for glass windows: helping to saving the planet. Solar panel collecting windows use the sun’s energy to charge nearby devices, such as smart speakers and TVs.
By 2040, most homes will have obscure glass that deflects up to 98% of outside light. A great substitute for blinds, obscure glass also removes the need for expensive air-conditioning costs. Homeowners will have smart-home systems installed to adjust their window’s light-to-dark settings, whether at home or out and about. Smart glass apps will soon be commonplace, just as modern gadgets like Hive and Ring let us remotely change our home settings.
A frosty reception
Frosted glass is an always-popular choice, especially in the bathroom. However, users are currently restricted to a binary choice: frosted or clear? This is all set to change with smart glass. With the flick of a switch, you’ll be able to enter “privacy mode” by changing your clear glass shower screen to frosted – and back again. Shower areas will also boast waterproof touch screens to adjust the controls, from water flow and timings to temperature.
Unfortunately, at least some of these exciting glass innovations are still very much in the future. In the meantime, abc Glass offers a market-leading range of services to create inspirational glass doors, splashbacks, mirrors, and much more. Get in touch to discuss your requirements with our team, who are working remotely until the Covid-19 restrictions are relaxed.
