According to a recent report released by Sin Chew Daily, Malaysia, Singaporean researchers have recently invented a smart glass window which can turn opaque or completely transparent without power.
The report said windows made of such glass can turn blue and reduce transparency by about 50 percent by day, and restore transparency by night.
According to a researcher at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, smart glass changes colors due to chemical effect, the paint on a piece of glass will react with oxygen chemically when powered to turn the glass blue. When not powered, the glass will restore to a colorless and transparent state.
The researcher also noted that the smart glass window is actually a rechargeable battery which can power low-power-consuming electronic products such as LED lamps.
As almost all glass windows available on the market are permanently colored, they are opaque or need external power to change transparency by night.
The researcher noted that the innovative technology can significantly reduce light permeating into buildings, thus lowering the cost of temperature regulation and lighting. He believed that developers intending to build eco-friendly and green buildings will surely use the new technology.