6 ms·

So, it's a thin layer of gold consisting of all-connected particles, thus forming a conducting layer. Then they sandwich that between layers of titanium oxide f

by unwind 4y ago

So, it's a thin layer of gold consisting of all-connected particles, thus forming a conducting layer. Then they sandwich that between layers of titanium oxide for protection, not sure if that will help with mechanical durability. Since it's dependent on an external source of (I guess infrared radiation) heat, it will not work in e.g. winter in the Nordics when there's not a lot of sunshine around. My conclusion: it's designed for fancy skiing folks in Switzerland's sunny alps, not tired parents trying to see where the fsck the kids went when coming home after picking them up in the afternoon. Time for sunset in Stockholm today: 2:56 pm. On a more serious note this really sounds promising, all development that improve aspects of wearing glasses is of course awesome since not all can/want to use contacts etc.

xattt 4y ago
I can see this being integrated into Apple’s AR headset that can tap into a battery for heat for a “defogging” function.
lebubule 4y ago
Hi there, I am a co-author of the mentioned work and very surprised (but pleased) to see it here. I think that this is a good overview! On the material part the sweet spot is the transition from assemblies of particles to forming a continuous path (film). For the application you indeed need sunlight. The sun is a strong radiation source! Putting your face under a light bulb might cause other issues. Glasses is here the most accessible example to illustrate the work from the research to the application. I think we can get creative about other use cases.
- jakzurr 4y ago
  I'd have to say that any small heat source might make this technology quite workable. Even conducting a bit of heat from your head to the glasses frame, to the lens coatings, perhaps?
- mensetmanusman 4y ago
  Why titania protection layers and not silica or alumina?
  - lebubule 4y ago
    Titania has higher refractive index. It helps improve slightly the performance.
- stuaxo 4y ago
  Plenty of houses in the UK in older buildings where it would be great in windows.
- unwind 4y ago
  Thanks! Apologies if I sounded overly salty/negative, that was not my intention. I don't ski, but obviously skiers also deserve seeing where they are going, it has safety benefits. :)
- someweirdperson 4y ago
  > Putting your face under a light bulb might cause other issues. Radiate it from the inside, at some invisible wave legth that doesn't reflect too much?
- djmips 4y ago
  Could it be useful for automobile windscreens? The article says it's solved for cars with embedded wires but this is not generally seen in the front windscreen - probably because it impairs vision and maybe even makes the glass less robust. I checked and it seems now we do have windscreens with electric heat but perhaps your system could be adapted to the lower end cars.
  - lebubule 4y ago
    Yes, of course there is still much work left for full scale industrializing but nothing insurmountable in view.
  - cnity 4y ago
    My Ford Fiesta has windscreen heating. IIRC the patent is owned by Ford but I could be wrong.
    - exar0815 4y ago
      Not really. Windscreen heating is quite common in the industry, and the patents lie with the glass suppliers (No Vehicle Company builds their glass themselves). Most common techniques are thin tungsten wires or a heatable thin metal layer which additionally acts as IR-reflection.
      - hnlmorg 4y ago
        You say it’s common but it didn’t used to be. It was common on Fords but no other vehicle manufacturer had it. Rear window heating, sure. But not front windscreen. Moreover, Ford dealerships (in the U.K. at least) would boast that they owned the patent. Looking online, I can see lots of references on car enthusiast sites talking about Ford owning the patent but any documents on the patent I find states it’s owned by an independent window manufacturer (like you suggested it would be). So that leaves me wondering if either Ford had the patent but then sold it (unlikely in my opinion), or if they simply bought exclusively rights?
        4y ago
e12e 4y ago
> Time for sunset in Stockholm today: 2:56 pm. Sunset? Time for sunrise here is around mid-day, January 21st :)
aaaa4444 4y ago
iLoveOncall 4y ago
> My conclusion: it's designed for fancy skiing folks in Switzerland's sunny alps, not tired parents trying to see where the fsck the kids went when coming home after picking them up in the afternoon. Yeah I got that at "gold layer".

by unwind 4y ago

xattt 4y ago

I can see this being integrated into Apple’s AR headset that can tap into a battery for heat for a “defogging” function.

lebubule 4y ago

Hi there, I am a co-author of the mentioned work and very surprised (but pleased) to see it here. I think that this is a good overview! On the material part the sweet spot is the transition from assemblies of particles to forming a continuous path (film). For the application you indeed need sunlight. The sun is a strong radiation source! Putting your face under a light bulb might cause other issues. Glasses is here the most accessible example to illustrate the work from the research to the application. I think we can get creative about other use cases.

jakzurr 4y ago
I'd have to say that any small heat source might make this technology quite workable. Even conducting a bit of heat from your head to the glasses frame, to the lens coatings, perhaps?
mensetmanusman 4y ago
Why titania protection layers and not silica or alumina?
- lebubule 4y ago
  Titania has higher refractive index. It helps improve slightly the performance.
stuaxo 4y ago
Plenty of houses in the UK in older buildings where it would be great in windows.
unwind 4y ago
Thanks! Apologies if I sounded overly salty/negative, that was not my intention. I don't ski, but obviously skiers also deserve seeing where they are going, it has safety benefits. :)
someweirdperson 4y ago
> Putting your face under a light bulb might cause other issues. Radiate it from the inside, at some invisible wave legth that doesn't reflect too much?
djmips 4y ago
Could it be useful for automobile windscreens? The article says it's solved for cars with embedded wires but this is not generally seen in the front windscreen - probably because it impairs vision and maybe even makes the glass less robust. I checked and it seems now we do have windscreens with electric heat but perhaps your system could be adapted to the lower end cars.
- lebubule 4y ago
  Yes, of course there is still much work left for full scale industrializing but nothing insurmountable in view.
- cnity 4y ago
  My Ford Fiesta has windscreen heating. IIRC the patent is owned by Ford but I could be wrong.
  - exar0815 4y ago
    Not really. Windscreen heating is quite common in the industry, and the patents lie with the glass suppliers (No Vehicle Company builds their glass themselves). Most common techniques are thin tungsten wires or a heatable thin metal layer which additionally acts as IR-reflection.
    - hnlmorg 4y ago
      You say it’s common but it didn’t used to be. It was common on Fords but no other vehicle manufacturer had it. Rear window heating, sure. But not front windscreen. Moreover, Ford dealerships (in the U.K. at least) would boast that they owned the patent. Looking online, I can see lots of references on car enthusiast sites talking about Ford owning the patent but any documents on the patent I find states it’s owned by an independent window manufacturer (like you suggested it would be). So that leaves me wondering if either Ford had the patent but then sold it (unlikely in my opinion), or if they simply bought exclusively rights?
      - 4y ago

e12e 4y ago

> Time for sunset in Stockholm today: 2:56 pm. Sunset? Time for sunrise here is around mid-day, January 21st :)

aaaa4444 4y ago

iLoveOncall 4y ago

> My conclusion: it's designed for fancy skiing folks in Switzerland's sunny alps, not tired parents trying to see where the fsck the kids went when coming home after picking them up in the afternoon. Yeah I got that at "gold layer".