No more curtains thanks to next generation window technology

Researchers at Harvard are developing the next generation of windows that utilize nanotechnology to transition between clear and cloudy with the flip of a switch. Pic of SAM SHIAN, MATERIALS SCIENTIST, HARVARD UNIVERSITY. REUTERS

Cambridge, MASSACHUSETTS: Curtains and blinds may soon be a design choice as opposed to a tool for privacy. Windows that can transition between clear and cloudy in a second may soon be a reality thanks to technology under development at Harvard University's School of Engineering.

Windows that can change opacity or colour already exist but rely on electrochemical reactions that are expensive to manufacture, especially on a commercial scale.