Researchers from KAIST created an optical film technology that allows smart windows to autonomously switch between being transparent and opaque in response to light conditions. The film has promise in many applications that require active optical transmission modulations like privacy-protection windows, zero-energy buildings and beam projection screens.
The film is a 3D hybrid nanocomposite with a highly periodic network structure. It has high performance that allows smart windows to quantify and self-regulate high contrast optical transmittance. The team also created a mobile app that goes hand in hand with the film for internet of things (IoT) applications.