About Live Glass™
Live Glass is a liquid crystal substrate that is energized to make clear or powered off to become frosted.
- Control the amount of light coming into a room or building without blinds or window coverings.
- Imagine, "on-demand" privacy and security at a touch of a button
What makes Live Glass different is a superior manufacturing process that is clearer, faster, clean, and sustainable than other methods.
Live Glass™ Demo - Enterprise
A demonstration of our Live Glass™ product at Cisco's Executive Briefing Center. (no audio)
Live Glass™ Demo - Residential
Live Glass™ in the Sunset Idea “House of Innovation” and Popular Science house (no audio). Also known to the project as Phase Change Glass.
Applications
Live Glass is a multifaceted variable-performance laminated product that offers superior daylighting, glare control and energy savings. Live Glass provides safety, sound attenuation and instantaneous privacy. Live Glass can also become your television or computer screen. Glass Paradigm manufactures a wide variety of Live Glass compositions to fit your needs.
Daylighting, Glare Control, and Energy Savings
Live Glass allows you to tap into our most economical and environmentally benign energy source – THE SUN.
Live Glass offers a warm distribution of natural light while reducing the glare that interferes with computer-based tasks, reading, blackboard instructions, whiteboard presentations or television viewing.
The sun, clouds, sky and reflected light can overwhelm the eyes. The human eye does not like large visual contrasts, like the glare that happens when too much light enters a room. This happens all the time with conventionally lit spaces (notice the drawn blinds in the windows of most office buildings).
Live Glass eliminates glare, but not the natural light. People naturally feel healthier, more productive and energized with daylight. Research on children has demonstrated a clear learning benefit from daylighting schools. Live Glass could be used in schools, potentially increasing student test scores.
Live Glass and its light maximizing qualities is beneficial to any building, whether it’s a home, warehouse, school, office, store or government institution. Live Glass reduces the incoming glare and heat during the brightest part of the day. This useable distribution of sunlight significantly decreases energy consumption. Electric lights produce a lot of heat, while Live Glass offers natural light without producing any heat at all. Energy savings are substantial because Live Glass requires fewer lights, reduces solar gain and keeps rooms cooler. The decrease in internally generated heat allows designers to downsize the air conditioning system, resulting in additional cost reductions. Live Glass also reduces maintenance costs since staff will not have to replace light bulbs as often. Total energy savings of using Live Glass instead of clear glass could be as much as 50%.
Safety, Sound Deflection & Privacy
Live Glass is a laminated product, comprised of a thin film that is embedded with nano-particles (liquid crystals) and permanently sandwiched between two pieces of glass. The particles on the film are so small you cannot see them with the naked eye, only through a microscope. When the electricity is turned on, it excites the nano-particles to move so the light can pass through the glass. This allows you to see through the glass clearly. When the electricity is switched off, the glass becomes obscure and no one can see through the glass. Live Glass provides shatterproof safety because it holds together in the event that it is broken. Additional glazing can be added to Live Glass to make it anti-fire, bullet proof or hurricane resistant. Live Glass deadens sound, by 36dB, which makes it ideal for concealing electronic devices, fans, traffic noise or private conversations.
Executive briefing centers, conference rooms, waiting rooms, lavatories and office partitions would boast unobstructed expanse until the electricity is switched off and complete privacy would be achieved. Board rooms would be open to all, with Live Glass in the clear state, until the dry erase marker touches the white board and at that point the Live Glass would be switched off and instantaneous privacy would be achieved. Imagine hospitals where Live Glass has been installed, where patients felt confident that they have not been forgotten because they can be seen. Once the doctor or nurse enters the room the glass could be switched off and the patient would be examined in complete privacy, not behind a flimsy, paper-like, non-hygienic curtain. Even in the event of a power outage bathroom cubicles would not reveal the occupant. Live Glass allows onlookers or not with the flick of a switch.
Live Glass Compositions
Because Live Glass is a laminated glass product a variety of compositions can be created. Glass Paradigm can add custom color and designs including logos, personalized design elements and classical artistic motifs to our Live Glass. Live Glass can be manufactured for use as fire-proof glass, anti-vandalism glass, anti-burglary glass, bullet-resistant glass or hurricane resistant glass. Live Glass can be part of a dual-glazed unit or reinforced with additional glazing for advanced solar control, sound-proofing, insulating or safety glass. Live Glass can be a curved and or a frameless glass panel. Live Glass can be cut into a variety of shapes and sizes. Live Glass can incorporate a touch pad for controlling heating, air conditioning, audio systems or lights. Our Live Glass can be tempered for skylights, canopies and floors or illuminate stair tread paths with embedded LEDs.
Live Glass Projection
Live Glass displays amazing hi-definition images from any multimedia projector. Live Glass randomly spreads light evenly and brightly in all directions. This produces an exquisite picture that is far superior than front projection screens.
Live Glass projection can be used in as:
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Projectors can be mounted in numerous ways including Direct or Mirrored configurations.
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Direct Projection (Large X Distance) |
Mirrored Projection (Small X Distance) |
X - Distance between projector and screen (inches) |
90 |
141 |
229 |
306 |
Y - Size of viewing screen (inches) |
60 |
100 |
150 |
200 |
FAQs
How does Live Glass work?
This nano technology glass is comprised of a thin film embedded with nano-particles (liquid crystal) permanently sandwiched between two pieces of glass. The particles on the film are so small you cannot see them with the naked eye, only through a microscope. When the electricity is turned on, it excites the nano-particles to move so the light can pass through the glass. This allows you to see through the window clearly. When the electricity is switched off, the glass becomes obscure and no one can see through the glass.
Can this glass be used for a television, movie screen or monitor?
A resounding YES! One of the special features of this glass is that you can project high-resolution images onto it. Back screen projection offers twice the intensity of front screen projection or even plasma screens. There is an added benefit to using this Live Glass for image projection (besides the obvious absence of bulky television sets) and that is equipment is hidden behind the sound attenuating glass panels. This leaves nothing but the sound of your entertainment to enjoy.
What are the physical properties and specifications of this product?
Thickness: Glass ranges from 8mm to 14mm or .31 inches to .56 inches. Film is .015 inches.
Size: 38 x 110 inches, larger glass sizes may be achieved by joining the film.
Environmental:
Storage: -20°C to 70°C or -4°F to 158°F
Operation: -10°C to 60°C or 14°F to 140°F
Electrical:
Drive Voltage: 65 ±5 volts A.C.
Amperage: less than 20 mA/ft.2
Power: approximately 0.3 watt/ft.2
Response Time: Approximately 100 milliseconds
Optical: Transparency: 75%
Viewing Angle: approximately 120 degrees
Scattering Effectiveness: approximately 1 inch
Life: >10 years
What are the benefits of Live Glass ?
There are a number of benefits:
- Transparency, when it is on
- Privacy, when it is off
- Safety, as laminated glass stays in tact when broken
- Sound Insulation
- Blocks over 99% of harmful UV rays
- Heat Control
Is Live Glass safe?
Yes! This glass provides safety because it remains intact if ever broken. This nano technology glass can easily become blast proof, bullet proof and fireproof with additional laminate layers.
Can Live Glass be used for doors or windows that open?
Yes! Glass Paradigm has developed proprietary electrical transfer systems that allow for a consistent power supply to operable doors and windows.
Do you have to have a special window frame to use this glass?
No! Most any manufactured window frame can be used for Live Glass .
Can Live Glass be used in bathrooms?
Yes! This glass is impervious to water. It is the perfect application for a light-filled room that also provides complete privacy.
Can colors, art glass or logos be incorporated into this glass?
Yes! Glass Paradigm specializes in providing custom glass designs and will assist in coordinating and selecting design elements.
How much does it cost?
The cost varies from application to application, but the typical price point is $150 - $180 per square foot. Costs include transformers and installation into frames.
What are the applications?
Residential:
- Skylights
- Entrances
- Bathrooms
- Bedrooms
- Home theaters and offices
Commercial:
- Conference rooms
- Office partitions
- Storefronts
- Hospitals
- Police stations
- Displays
- Security applications
Where can I get this glass?
Please Contact Us