Intelligent Door Privacy with Switchable Smart Door Vision Panels
Switchable Smart Glass technology is often associated with style, design and its amazing functionality, bringing switchable privacy to all kinds of spaces all over the world. However, wider benefits of this remarkable privacy solution are often overlooked, bringing different characteristics to the environment it inhabits depending on the requirements. Intelligent Glass offer a range of solutions that may be able to assist with a variety of concerns and can satisfy some of those more demanding needs, making switchable technology more attainable than ever. One of the areas that Switchable Smart Glass can bring the most benefits to is the door; both internal and external, the whole point of a door is to provide privacy, security and safety for the room it is installed in. Depending on the application, Switchable Smart Glass solutions can enhance everyone one of those aspects with style and class.
One of our latest innovations, Switchable Smart Door Vision Panels, is a fantastic approach to door privacy, providing a functional and stylish solution compared to many existing alternatives. Able to be integrated into most doors with a glass vision panel, this product is unlike many Switchable products in that it is powered via a replaceable battery pack that is stored in the door itself. Operating using a simple push button, the glass panel changes from frosted to clear at the entrant’s or occupant’s will, it allows people to see inside (or indeed outside) a room without disturbing the occupants. Such a solution can solve several practical issues that often come with traditional privacy solutions.
For example, in a room that requires privacy, such as in healthcare, education or in office environments, there are few privacy solutions that enables switchable 2-way visibility in style, to not only see who is occupying a room, but also who wishes to enter. This may be particularly useful if the occupants are having a private meeting but are waiting for an additional party to join them. A Switchable Smart Vision Panel would facilitate a scenario that sees the occupants proceed with the meeting, only granting access to the expected person when required. This solution considered in the context of other applications, such as in prisons, mental health facilities or hospitals becomes even more interesting. With it being anti ligature and easy to clean, a Smart Glass Vision Panel offers a safe, hygienic and simple solution to privacy needs in cases where vulnerable persons require door privacy.
Composite external doors can also benefit from a Switchable Vision Panel, offering a frosted glass panel in the door until the occupant needs to see outside, allowing them to switch it to clear to reveal who is on the other side before they open the door. The big advantage of this combines the very best aspects of a privacy peephole with glass panels, enabling a switchable privacy system that doesn’t shut out ambient light. A traditional peephole privacy system is limited in that it doesn’t allow much light to spill into the room. The tiny peephole in the door restricts visibility and can easily be seen from the outside, allowing those who wish to evade the vision of the occupant ample opportunity to do so given its obstructive visual angles.
A Switchable Glass Vision Panel, however, is not obvious from the outside, appearing as standard frosted glass to the untrained eye. This aspect alone, when switched to clear, gives the occupant the element of surprise in their evaluation of whether to open the door or not. Also, depending on the size of the vision panel, the occupant is granted far better visibility when compared to a peephole, giving them a wider visual angle across both axes as well as better depth perception and allowing them to see through the door as if it were a normal piece of glass.
For additional security and safety, a Switchable Smart Door Vision Panel can be made to exacting requirements using different glass options, allowing it to fulfil a far wider range of functions than initially expected of it. For example, by combining the manufacturing process of both our Toughened Switchable Smart Glass and Laminated Switchable Smart Safety Glass, a Switchable Door Panel can offer the ultimate in glass safety, bringing the individual strength from 2 toughened panes of glass together, ‘sandwiching’ the active PDLC component and then laminated in the same way as our Laminated Smart Glass is; such a solution would provide an incredibly strong and safe glass option that is ideal for use in external doors, areas of high footfall, prisons or hospitals.
It’s not just safety and security that can be enhanced by using a Switchable Smart product, as demonstrated by the use of Fire Rated Switchable Glass or Sound Insulating Switchable Glass as part of its makeup. These glass options allow the Vision Panel to remain productive in wider concerns that come with doors, especially for spaces with vulnerable inhabitants such as schools or hospitals. These solutions can help to keep a door compliant and effective, reducing the chances of functional integrity being compromised, allowing these specialist doors to benefit from stylish privacy.
Interested?
Intelligent Glass offers a wide range of switchable smart glass solutions with options including toughened glass, laminated panels, smart glass windows and the retrofit self-adhesive switchable film.
If you would like further information, a pricing quote, or to discuss ideas for using our switchable smart glass and smart film products, please please get in touch using the form below, or call us on +44 (0)1226 351 759.