Unbreakable Glass, Liquid Glass & Touch-Screen Glass

Invention to help Brits stop 'glassing' each other: There are many theories as to why some Brits like to drink many pints of beer, smash the glasses, and then jab the jagged edges into each other's faces. Some blame "glassing" on the disappearance of the Colonial Empire. Some point to the limited licensing hours, which have traditionally encouraged little Englanders to down 10 pints in three hours, until their legs have left them for another paradigm. But what has always been clear is that beer glasses made from glass have led far too often to glass eyes. Now, however, scientists have discovered a way to cut down on cut-throat midnight surgeries. According to a Friday post on The Independent, Britain will soon enjoy beer glasses that simply don't shatter.
Two prototypes, based on car windshield technology, have been developed and showcased by a company called Design Bridge, and they are being promoted by the Design Out Crime project of the United Kingdom's Design and Technology Alliance Against Crime. One design, called "Glass Plus," involves just one layer of glass, with a clear coating of resin on the inside. The other has two layers of glass, one inside the other, held together by resin. This is called "Thin Wall." Both will reportedly be tested in British pubs very soon. One of the advantages for drinkers, other than the fact that they might keep their faces (and hands) pristine, is that the twin-walled glass will actually keep the beer colder for longer. However, perhaps some will wonder why, given that Britain endures 87,000 glass attacks every year, according to U.K. government figures, it has taken so long to develop something so blindingly simple. Also see here for road test.

Designing the next generation British pint glass - the design story from Design Council on Vimeo.

Liquid glass: the spray-on scientific revelation: Liquid glass, a revolutionary invisible non-toxic spray that protects against everything from bacteria to UV radiation, could soon be used on a vast range of products. The spray, which is harmless to the environment, can be used to protect against disease, guard vineyards against fungal threats and coat the nose cones of high-speed trains, it has been claimed. The versatile spray, which forms an easy-clean coating one millionth of a millimetre thick – 500 times thinner than a human hair – can be applied to virtually any surface to protect it against water, dirt, bacteria, heat and UV radiation. It is hoped that liquid glass, a compound of almost pure silicon dioxide, could soon replace a variety of cleaning products which are harmful to the environment, leaving our world coated in an invisible, wipe-clean sheen.
The spray forms a water-resistant layer, meaning it can be cleaned using only water. Trials by food-processing companies showed that sterile surfaces covered with a film of liquid glass were equally clean after a rinse with hot water as after their usual treatment with strong bleach. The patent for the technology is owned by a German company, Nanopool, which is in discussions with UK companies and the NHS about the use of liquid glass for a wide range of purposes. Several organisations are said to be testing the product, including a train company in Britain, which is using liquid glass on both the interior and exterior of the train, a luxury hotel chain, a designer clothing company and a German branch of a hamburger chain.
Key to the product's versatility is the fact it can be sold in a solution of either alcohol or water, depending on what surface needs to be coated. The layer formed by the liquid glass is said to be flexible and breathable. Neil McClelland, Nanopool's UK project manager, told The Independent: "Very soon almost every product you purchase will be protected with a highly durable, easy-to-clean coating ... the concept of spray-on glass is mind-boggling."

DISPLAX creates transparent touch screens for glass: Remember the fantastic sequence in 2002’s “Minority Report,” when Tom Cruise waves, motions and conducts a huge computer window in order to download the files from his computer? Who would have thought that in as little as eight years the precursor for this technology could become reality?

One company is working on making the technology to create that same experience on a much larger scale. DISPLAX, a company working from Braga, the “Portuguese Silicon-Valley,” is creating a “transparent thinner-than-paper polymer film” that can be applied to almost any surface and create a touch screen. This can be applied to glass, plastic or wood, “almost everyone who sees it thinks of new applications, from converting LCDs into a multitouch screens, tables into multitouch tables, to creating interactive information screens in stores, shopping malls or public areas, to developing new exciting gaming environments,” said Miguel Fonseca, chief business officer of DISPLAX, in the company’s press kit.

According to the product’s Web site, the DISPLAX uses a grid of nanowires to detect any interaction with the device, such as a touch or the user blowing on the surface. The controller can be anywhere in size from seven inches to nine feet, measured diagonally. In comparison, a 50-inch version of the screen comes in at a feather-like 10 ounces. The screen can detect up to 16 interactions at the same time.

The company has been successful in tailoring to the needs of their clients so far by merging with the desires and attitudes of the company. DISPLAX has been working in the Inter IKEA Group Center in Porto, Portugal to create information displays with a large directory for the shopping area, as well as play with an interactive LCD monitor, set at 32”, about the height of children. The display allows artists to express their creativity by picking colors from the palette to draw and paint. This exclusive DISPLAX display was specially designed for the project. After the budding artist is finished, he can transfer the drawings form the Art Gallery to the DISPLAX Window Layer, at the front of the children’s space, said the website.

The telecommunication company’s concept store features a variety of products and features for their handsets such as music, wallpapers, and other applications, utilizing the DISPLAX displays to make the Optimus brand the focal point of the store. The store’s capstone is the experience block, a large rectangular box featuring over 70 high-definition, LCD and plasma monitors, with touch elements throughout the display for customers to have a hands on experience with products. DISPLAX is also reaching for American clients, ranging from telecommunications leader, Nokia, to soft drink manufacturer, Pepsi, as well as computer designer, IBM, and retailer, Sax Fifth Avenue, showing the variety of applications in store for the future. As the desire for further innovations accelerate, it will be these businesses pushing forward, driving the market with it. The future looks exciting when the world is merely a touch away.