What They Say
IDTechEx has a new report looking at the market for transparent electronics materials and thinks the market will be over $20 billion in value, but not until 2041! There will be applications in the windows of buildings and vehicles as well as ‘see-through billboards with “bright images floating in the air” in planned smart cities, self-powering if another layer is added’.
The transparency is achieved using transparent materials or alternatively opaque materials in patterns that let light through as with your car window antenna and demister patterns and phone touch screens, though see-through phones are only a solution looking for a problem. In Germany, a Fraunhofer institute is developing headlamp glass that steers the radar beam of driverless vehicles. VDL offers transparent heater laminate to go over the inside fitments of electric vehicles, saving weight and power, increasing range.
Dr Peter Harrop presented a webinar on the topic, “Transparent Electronics on High Drive to $20 Billion”, on 21st December. This webinar will be repeated on Tuesday 12th January. Click here to find out more.
What We Think
Well, forecasting out to 2041 is brave! On the other hand, by the time we get there, nobody will remember the forecast 🙂 I have been intrigued in the past by coatings that can harvest UV and IR light while transmitting visible light. We reported on Ubiquitous Energy five years ago. (Ubiquitous Energy Could Help Solve Battery Problems). Since then, the firm has developed and has achieved 9.8% efficiency of a small cell. Although lower than a dedicated solar cell, that would be enough to make it an interesting prospect. The firm reckons it’s glass would cost around 30% more than traditional curtain walling at about $130 per sq ft vs $100 for typical passive curtain walls. https://tinyurl.com/y42v9s24 It hopes to be in volume production by the end of 2022. (BR)
Smart city robot shuttles need many forms of transparent electronics. Source: IDTechEx Research. Click for higher resolution
