I've seen before on some newer cars, a rear view mirror that changes to dark when you simply push a button on it. There appears to be no movement of the mirror itself, it just instantly darkens.

THIS is the way I want my windows to work too, only with an adjustable dial!!! Imagine, at night, you turn the thing off. On a bright sunny day, dial your way up to the desired darkness. On a cloudy day, give it about a medium setting. Are you a little old lady with a freaky looking teenager following you? Turn it up all the way so they can't see who you are. Cops pull you over? Better turn it off completely so you don't have to answer to the barrel of a 9mm.
-- Mojo, Jul 20 2001

A related Hb artical http://www.halfbake...r_20for_20sideviews
Dimmer for wingmirrors [CasaLoco, Jul 20 2001, last modified Oct 04 2004]

All about electrochromic pigments. http://dcwww.epfl.c...p/ICP-2/electr.html
On the way... [Dog Ed, Jul 20 2001, last modified Oct 04 2004]

Mercedes-Benz has baked this http://www.mercedes...bil/maybach03.htm#1
It uses electrochromic polymers, only in their high end limo so far. [krelnik, Oct 04 2004]

The technology is there and on the market. There was another HB item about this but for house windows, but I think it was taken off for being baked...

Basically They can do this using glass with something like LCD built into it. the more current you apply, the darker it gets.

Was designed as a privacy/blinds thingy for home windows. This I was something on TW about it, and they also had a 2 way version...
-- CasaLoco, Jul 20 2001


How clear are LCD's? How many layers could you stack before they rendered the window opaque? Because if you could stack a bunch of layers of LCD's into a cube, couldn't you make a 3-D TV?
-- MuddDog, Jul 20 2001


Been researching stuff like this...the electrochromic pigments proposed for windows are still pretty expensive but promise a glass-laminate that changes color when hit with an electric current and then changes back in response to a current of opposite polarity. A second kind of electrochromic pigment needs a constant voltage to maintain a color change. See link, above.
-- Dog Ed, Jul 21 2001


That's what an LCD is, that would just be one big display
-- dtstyle, Sep 02 2002


The LCD technology has been tried in windows, but it tends to be unreliable because of the effect of heat and light on it.
-- BinaryCookies, Sep 02 2002


..and by stone chips.
-- Mr Burns, Sep 12 2002


Windows technology is affected by freaking *everything*.
-- General Washington, Sep 12 2002


One word, Polaroid! Go for round windows each having 2 panes with tiny etched lines (think pin-stripe), rotate one by upto 90 degrees for a gradual fade to black. This method would probably be a lot cheaper, would also give you double glazed car windows, for extra quietness and warmth.
-- silverstormer, Apr 15 2003



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