Seoul National University builds smart window cooling rooms without electricity
Technology
A team from Seoul National University has built a smart window that keeps rooms up to 7 degrees Celsius cooler in direct sunlight, without using any electricity.
The secret? Its special multilayer film reflects heat-causing sunlight and sends extra warmth straight out into space, all while letting in plenty of natural light.
Prototype faces affordability and durability issues
Besides cooling things down, this window can harvest electricity from rain and clear up fog or frost on its own.
It's still just a prototype for now, though.
Making the high-tech layers affordable and tough enough for real-world weather is the big hurdle before windows like this may become more practical over time.