MIT Researchers Invent 'Super Glass' 199
redletterdave writes "On Thursday, researchers at MIT announced a breakthrough in glass-making technology, which basically involves a new way to create surface textures on glass to eliminate all of the drawbacks of glass, including unwanted reflections and glare. The research team wanted to build glass that could be adaptable to any environment: Their 'multifunctional' glass is not only crystal clear, but it also causes water droplets to bounce right off its surface, 'like tiny rubber balls.' The glass is self-cleaning, anti-reflective, and superhydrophobic. The invention has countless applications, including TV screens, as well as smartphone and tablet displays that benefit from the self-cleaning ability of the glass by resisting moisture and contamination by sweat."
Vehicle Use? (Score:3, Interesting)
Forget tablets & phones... (Score:5, Interesting)
If this is as hydrophobic as they claim, I want a windshield made of the stuff.
Noooooo (Score:4, Interesting)
Sounds Relative (Score:2, Interesting)
So... does this mean our children will never have the experience of looking out the a window covered in drops of water on a rainy day? I know it's a stupid little thing, but there is something oddly therapeutic and beautiful about it. Almost sad that it might become a thing of the past.
Cool...but a light diode would be neater (Score:2, Interesting)
Camera front elements (Score:5, Interesting)
Wow, glass with those properties being used for front elements on camera lenses would be amazing. Anti-glare without having to resort to all sorts of coatings, no fogging or moisture would be great too, especially if you're shooting in very humid environments.
As long as the micro-structures on the surface didn't change the optical properties so much as to be detrimental to the incoming light.
If is all as stated..then it has great application (Score:3, Interesting)
If is all as stated..then it has great application. Aircraft cockpit windows just for one. I am sure that fighter pilots would love to have clearer visibility ( at least thru the windows itself) while going 700+ mph in rain.