Multi-Zone Smart Glass System
Patent pending (Japan)

Multi-Zone Smart Glass System

Switchable glass (PDLC smart film) is a material that turns from clear to opaque at the touch of a switch. Until now a whole pane was usually switched as one; our system divides a pane into multiple zones and lets you control the transparency of each, zone by zone, freely

The switchable film itself can come from any manufacturer. We provide the controller and control technology that drive a wide range of switchable films in multiple zones.

Applications

Applications

01

Shops & restaurants

Frost the upper zones for glare control by day, the eye-level zone for privacy by night. After closing, use the opaque surface as a projection screen for promotional videos.

02

Offices & meeting rooms

Opaque during meetings, clear when vacant — switched automatically via your booking system. You can also frost only the zone at standing height for privacy while keeping daylight from above.

03

Homes

Privacy for bathrooms and bedrooms, protection from the afternoon sun in living rooms. Linked to a light sensor, the glass can switch to glare control automatically when the sun is strong.

04

Medical & care facilities

Opaque only when privacy is needed in consulting and treatment rooms. Easy to clean, with less hygiene burden than curtains.

05

Hotels & commercial spaces

Gradients and blind-like patterns for ambience. Recall preset scenes with ease to match the time of day or an event.

06

Vehicles & more

Showrooms, exhibition booths, vehicle windows and more.

Capabilities

What it can do

Daytime glare control: only the upper zones are frosted01 — DAY

Day — Glare control

Frost only the upper zones where the sun hits, and keep the rest clear. Block direct sunlight while keeping the view. Automatic dimming with a light sensor is also available.

Night-time privacy: only the eye-level zone is frosted02 — NIGHT

Night — Privacy

Frost only the eye-level zone and keep the rest clear. Nobody can see in, yet you still see the lights outside. Privacy without feeling closed in.

Ambience: a projector image on a white opaque band of the glass03 — SCENE

Ambience — Patterns & gradients

Store presets such as blind-like stripes, gradients or fully clear, and recall them per scene. A frosted band doubles as a projection screen.

Technology

What could not be done before — our answer

Dividing switchable film into zones and controlling each one independently was not straightforward

The challenge

Voltage leaks into neighbouring zones, turning areas clear that should stay frosted

Only the right-most zone is meant to be clear, yet even when driven separately, voltage leaks into the neighbouring zone and makes it almost fully clear. The effect fades with distance, but the remaining zones — which should stay frosted — still turn unintentionally clear.

miraiGen. Multi-Zone Smart Glass System (patent pending in Japan)

Every zone holds exactly the transparency you set

Our proprietary drive technology keeps adjacent zones from affecting each other, so each zone holds exactly the transparency you set. The diagram shows an example set individually to 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% from left to right — and it is not limited to this order: graded shading, gradients and any pattern stay stable.

Prototype sample panel: three zones set to clear, intermediate and opaque from top to bottom
Verified on real hardware

One film, three zones driven at 75%, 50% and 0% from top to bottom

The photo shows a verification result on our prototype unit: a single zoned smart film driven by our controller with its rear common electrode left as one continuous sheet, and three adjacent zones set from top to bottom to 75% output (nearly clear), 50% (intermediate) and 0% (undriven, opaque). No current leaks across the boundaries, and each zone can be seen holding the transparency it was set to. The film is an off-the-shelf PDLC smart film simply divided into zones, with no special treatment to stop leakage.

MCU board designed in-house (Rev3.0, prototype under development)
MCU board (in-house design)
Wall switch (prototype under development)
Wall switch

System

System overview

ControllerDesigned in-house. Multiple microcontrollers control the transparency, gradients and patterns of each zone in real time. One unit drives multiple zones, with output tuned to switchable films from various manufacturers.
OperationWall switch, or a browser on PC / smartphone. NFC (optional) lets you operate by tapping your smartphone.
NetworkWi-Fi and wired LAN. Manage multiple panes and floors centrally. Integration with booking or building-management systems available as customisation.
SensorsAutomatic dimming based on light and other sensor values (customisable).

Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Evaluation kit — specifications and terms

Partnership

Partners wanted

Evaluation kits (paid)

Try multi-zone control with your own switchable film using our evaluation kit.

Licensing

Our drive technology (patent pending in Japan), in your products.

OEM supply & installation partners

Our controller under your brand. We also welcome glazing contractors, interior firms and building-material distributors.

Evaluation KitEvaluation kit — outline specifications (planned)

Simultaneously driven channels6 ch
Power supplyDC 24 V (PSE-certified 120 W AC adapter included)
Power consumption70 W max.
Drivable areaDepends on the power consumption of the switchable film you use. Use the table below as a guide and confirm compatibility before installation.
Film power consumptionDrivable area, guide (total)
3 W/m²approx. 13 m²
4 W/m²approx. 10 m²
5 W/m²approx. 8 m²

* Calculated with output headroom. Actual figures vary with the film type, drive conditions and ambient temperature. Please check the specification sheet of the film you intend to use.

* These figures are planned values, not finalised specifications, and are subject to change.

TermsEvaluation kit — terms

FormatLoan for 3 months — JPY 178,000 (excl. tax)
If a licence or OEM agreement is concluded, the full loan and extension fees are credited against your first order.
ExtensionJPY 28,000 per month (excl. tax)
Three-month extension pack — JPY 78,000 (excl. tax)
Lead timeApprox. 1 month from order
Orders openPlanned from September 2026.

* Please supply the switchable film yourself.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can it be retrofitted to existing windows?

Yes — with film applied to existing glass, retrofitting is possible, though the routing of the cabling and the placement of the controller and switches need to be worked out. The zone layout — how many zones, and how they are divided (evenly or otherwise) — can be decided before the film is cut.

Does it work with switchable film from any manufacturer?

The controller is designed so its output can be tuned to each manufacturer’s film. It works with common AC-driven PDLC / PNLC switchable films. Products that require unusual drive conditions may not be compatible.

What happens in a power outage?

It depends on the film. PDLC film is clear when powered and opaque when unpowered; PNLC film behaves the other way round. PDLC is the more commonly used of the two.

It can be operated from a smartphone — could someone else operate it without permission?

Access to the system is limited to the network it is connected to, so it cannot be operated by anyone who is not on that network.

How is Japan’s Radio Act handled?

For Wi-Fi we use a module that already carries Japanese technical conformity certification (giteki). NFC is a passive-tag design (ISO/IEC 15693, ST25DV04K); the controller itself does not transmit, so no filing under the Radio Act is required.

Is it available for private homes?

We currently focus on partnerships with businesses (installers, building-material distributors, film manufacturers). Private customers may be referred to an installation partner. Please use the contact form.

Contact us here

For installation, evaluation kits, licensing or OEM, please use the contact form.
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* Shop and window images on this page are for illustration (AI-generated). Photos of the MCU board, wall switch and sample panel show prototypes under development; the smartphone screen is a re-creation of the app under development.