Airbus is offering electronically-dimmable windows on its aircraft, according to a Michigan-based supplier of the technology.
Gentex Corporation disclosed the development during the CES2020 consumer technology show in Las Vegas.
It says that Airbus is “now offering” the technology on its aircraft, although neither party has indicated which aircraft types are intended as the recipient.
“More details of the roll-out will be revealed this spring,” it adds.
Airbus has previously worked with Gentex to test electrochromatic windows, which are supplied as standard on the Boeing 787.
Electronically-dimmable windows allow the level of transparency to be altered gradually, and are offered as an alternative to window shades.
“They also incorporate a heat-control solution which blocks infra-red energy from entering the cabin from outside, lessening dependence on air-conditioning systems,” says Gentex.
It says its windows feature a “high-speed transition” between full transparency and darkness, adding that the company has developed a new “ultra-dark” low-end transmission capability.
Airbus had previously been concerned about whether light could be fully blocked using the technology.
“We worked together with Airbus to integrate the latest dimmable windows technology while further enhancing it with an additional speciality coating,” says Gentex chief Steve Downing.
Gentex claims its latest windows darknen twice as quickly as previous designs and become “100 times darker”, eliminating over 99.999% of visible light.
Airbus’s version has been designed as a single line-replaceable unit, to make installation and maintenance simple, it adds.
