Smart glass from g-smatt revolutionises city landscapes
People bustling along Tehran Boulevard in Seoul often stop to marvel at the glass fence outside the Gangnam Finance Center building. The handrails look like ordinary clear glass - until they change hue and play media content.
People bustling along Tehran Boulevard in Seoul often stop to marvel at the glass fence outside the Gangnam Finance Center building. The handrails look like ordinary clear glass - until they change hue and play media content.
About a centimetre thick, the new smart glass technology from g-smatt global does away with unsightly wires, metal box casings and printed circuit boards used in traditional opaque display panels. After years of research, the company has developed the know-how to mass-produce 99.7 per cent transparent, construction-grade glass panels that can play media content straight from a cloud-based network. The product is changing the face of architecture and advertising by introducing full media functionality to glass applications, from building facades and showroom windows to floors, ceilings, partitions and canopies.
"We are changing city landscapes with our unique product," says Dr Lee Ho-joon, CEO of g-smatt global. "We are among the first to integrate the construction materials industry with electronics to offer the world's first electronic building material."
By consolidating various functions into one product, the company helps clients cut overall costs. The panels also require little maintenance, as resin surrounding the light-emitting diodes (LEDs) prevents them from coming into contact with dust, air and water, while lamination ensures the product's long-term durability in harsh outdoor conditions.
These features enable g-smatt global to easily penetrate the world market. In particular, the China World Trade Center and Kingdom Centre in Riyadh are considering using the product. Leading architect Ole Scheeren, international outdoor advertising company JCDecaux and South Korean conglomerate Hyundai Group have also approached g-smatt global for possible projects.
In China, g-smatt global and the China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group are building smart glass production lines in Tianjin, which will be operational this year. With excellent insulating characteristics and using only 20 per cent of the electricity used by conventional LED displays, the product fits into the Chinese investment holding company's philosophy of energy conservation and environmental protection.
Looking forward, g-smatt global envisions various business models for its smart glass. The company is looking at providing and installing the product for free to landmark buildings worldwide to generate revenues from advertising and media content, among others.
"We see a whole new range of business platforms and opportunities in Asia, especially in China," Lee says. "We would like to actively explore such possibilities globally with various industry players who share our open-mindedness and innovative spirit."
http://www.g-smattglobal.com