Research Frontiers’ SPD-Smart glazing technology has been shown by Mercedes testing to reduce cabin temperature by 18°F (10°C). Made with patented SPD light-control film developed by Research Frontiers, SPD-SmartGlass is claimed to the world’s fastest-switching variably tintable dynamic glazing technology. To find out more, Matthew Beecham talked with Joseph M. Harary, president and CEO of Research Frontiers Inc.
Already, you have a number of applications for your SPD light film technology, including automotive, aerospace, architecture, marine, eyewear, and displays. What’s next?
Go deeper with GlobalData
While Research Frontiers continues to focus on SPD-Smart light-control technology as our core business, because the SPD-Smart film is such a versatile smart material, companies are steadily coming up with new uses for it. For example, because our film not only blocks harmful UV radiation very effectively (in excess of 99% at all times, regardless of whether the film is dark or clear), and because in addition to UV, visible light can also cause harmful damage, museums are beginning to adopt SPD-SmartGlass for display cases and façade glass to protect artwork from damage from sunlight.
Also multimedia uses are beginning since the SPD-Smart film can dramatically reveal what’s behind the panels.
For certain security applications such as armored glass for vehicles, our technology also provides enhanced security due to the ability to selectively control privacy, and the ability to very effectively manage heat buildup inside these vehicles.
Similar security benefits in architectural applications for homes and offices, as well as better integration into building control systems. In both of these security-related applications – the inherent nature of SPD-SmartGlass as a laminated glazing also provides structural benefits in addition to its advanced light-control benefits.
We can even control our windows over the internet or from an iPad or Android device. Also it is currently being specified in for interactive rides to provide special effects. We are also seeing television studios embracing our technology as an effective way to reduce heat, light and glare in real time so that the lighting environment in a studio can be better controlled.
There are competing technologies to SPD out there such as liquid crystal and electrochromic. How does SPD stack up against each? What are the advantages of SPD compared with these alternatives?
Liquid crystal technology is very good for interior applications but is not really deployed on the outer part of buildings, automobiles, yachts and aircraft because it only scatters light but does not block or control heat, light or glare. Liquid crystal also tends to have higher haze levels.
Electrochromic technology is similar in appearance to SPD but even in a normal window size, electrochromics can take 10-15 minutes to switch, while SPD will switch in a matter of a few seconds regardless of window size. Also electrochromics tend to change non-uniformly creating a visually objectionable “iris effect” across the window.
SPD-Smart technology is fast-switching regardless of window size, and changes uniformly. Also because it is a film, it can be applied to curved or irregularly shaped panels and, unlike electrochromics, can be used with glass or plastic windows. This has weight and strength advantages. There are many other benefits include very low power consumption, higher levels of light control, ability to block more light than electrochomics, and easier controls that permit infinitesimal adjustment so you can automatically or manually “tune” the tint to any level you desire from clear to dark, or anything in-between, with all of this being done in real-time without any delay.
As we understand it, there are a number of exterior and interior architectural SPD projects, for example, that use very large SPD glazings. How does SPD technology handle these large area applications?
One of the advantages of SPD-Smart technology is that very large area glazing applications are possible. First, there are no practical production capacity limitations. Our licensee Hitachi Chemical Company which manufactures SPD-Smart light-control film in Japan has publicly announced that their dedicated SPD film production line can produce up to 400,000 square metres (4.3 million square feet) of SPD film per year. This is the largest announced smart window production capacity of anyone in the world.
Also another advantage of SPD-Smart technology over electrochromic technology is that SPD does not slow down as size increases while electrochromic technology gets considerably slower, and takes tens of minutes to switch even for a typically-sized window. SPD windows switch in a matter of a few seconds regardless of window size. Because of this, there are a number of exterior and interior architectural SPD projects, for example, that use very large SPD glazings. Some windows are as wide as 9 feet and can be any length because SPD film currently comes in rolls. Logistically, doing larger windows is easier with SPD technology because these rolls can be shipped where they are needed and laminated locally, rather than having to ship large heavy panels of glass across the world as is currently required with electrochromic windows.
Does SPD work on curved shapes? And to what extent are you developing SPDs to be made into a flexible sheet form so they can be used in a variety of applications?
SPD-Smart film comes in flexible rolls that can be easily shipped to where they are needed, and because it is a flexible film, it can be used on curved or irregularly shaped windows. This is something that is important in automotive especially where glass is often curved, and is something that other technologies cannot do well, or at all.
Can SPD work with polycarbonate glazing or just glass?
SPD works well on any type of plastic such as polycarbonate, as well as glass. In the aircraft market, SPD is used on polycarbonate because of the need to reduce weight on an aircraft and also because glass can break and create safety hazards to passengers in the cabin unless protective shrouds are used. With SPD, there is no risk of glass shards entering the aircraft cabin and the film itself can add strength as well as light, heat, glare and privacy control functionality.
As we understand it, your SPD technology can be applied to vehicle side windows, roofs, sun shades and mirrors. What is the market potential for each application? Let’s start with sun visors?
The potential for SPD-Smart automotive products is large and growing as the glazing area in vehicles increases and OEMs and their customer experience the benefits of SPD technology. Regarding sun visors, the area on a windshield where sun visors are typically used is smaller than that for other vehicle glazings which can use SPD technology. However, with approximately 70 million new vehicles sold each year, and virtually all of them possessing some shading in the upper part of the windshield area, the addressable market is substantial. SPD sun visors offer benefits and value that conventional sun visors cannot provide.
In addition to providing shading and glare control similar to a conventional sun visor, SPD-Smart sun visors can do so over larger surface areas, including curves, and do so without any cumbersome movable components. This is particularly important as more vehicles adopt cielo roof designs. And from a safety perspective, shading and glare control can be fully automated with SPD-Smart sun visors, which dovetails nicely with the safety and comfort goals of intelligent vehicle.
Our sweet spot is in the large-area glazings of vehicles – sunroofs, panoramic roofs, and side and rear windows. These glazings have the greatest impact on energy efficiency, safety and people’s comfort. Already we are seeing great traction here. In 2011, Daimler revealed its new Mercedes-Benz SLK and its new SL roadsters – both with an all-glass panoramic roof option that uses SPD light-control technology. The SPD-SmartGlass in these production vehicles not only is large, it’s curved. With more vehicles moving toward glass roof systems that are larger overall, the potential here for SPD technology is terrific. For example, it’s estimated that in 2011 there were approximately 2.6 million vehicles sold globally in just the premium segment alone. Notably, roughly 20 models account for three-quarters of vehicle sales in this segment. Of those twenty models, 70% have a sunroof as a standard feature, and more than 20% offer a sunroof as an option. Basically, all of the premium vehicles, and their owners and passengers, could benefit from SPD technology.
And that’s just roof glass. The glazing area of side and rear windows is even greater, and we’re starting to see adoption of SPD-SmartGlass in this area. At the Frankfurt Auto Show this past September, Daimler unveiled its Viano Vision Pearl luxury concept van using SPD-SmartGlass technology. The Viano Vision Pearl luxury van featured SPD-SmartGlass technology in a total of eight different areas: the three glass roof panels, the rear window, and four side windows. We see side and rear windows as the next logical extension in SPD usage, and this addressable market is several times greater than the sunroof market.
As we know, there are always cynics out there who are sceptical of new glazing innovations. They say they are ‘solutions looking for problems’. At a time when carmakers are looking for cutbacks, can this technology really catch on?
SPD-Smart technology has been shown by Mercedes testing to reduce cabin temperature by 18 degrees F or 10 degrees C. Imagine sitting in a car that is 22 degrees C vs 32 degrees C (72F vs 90F). The automakers can more effectively meet CO2 emission standards and increased fuel efficiency requirements by simply replacing their glass with SPD-SmartGlass. This is more cost effective that total redesigns of engines, and allows auto makers to design cars with smaller and lighter air-conditioning units. Additional cost savings come from eliminating the need for sunroof shades, mechanical blinds etc. SPD-Smart products also add comfort and headroom to vehicles.
What are your realistic ambitions for the fitment of SPD on vehicle applications over the next few years?
Research Frontiers is working with a number of the world’s auto makers. Some information about this is already public such as Mercedes’ adoption of SPD-Smart technology on their SLK roadster, and more recently their new SL roadster. We expect other vehicles both within the Mercedes model line, and among auto makers to use more and more SPD-SmartGlass. As far as timing, I cannot reveal the OEMs’ specific timetables for introduction because they view this as highly sensitive information, but I can say that it is reasonable to expect more models of premium vehicles to offer SPD-SmartGlass, and that these will most probably be introduced by the manufacturers as vehicles are either redesigned or refreshed on established schedules.
