Press Release

ZEISS develops first multifunctional smart glass

Transparent surfaces enable a host of applications

4 February 2019

JENA/Germany, San Francisco/USA | 04 February 2019 | Corporate News

For the first time ever, a technology developed by ZEISS has made it possible to utilize transparent glass or plastic in a whole range of different ways. The see-through surfaces with integrated, invisible microstructured optics permit a range of different applications, thus enabling innovations like gesture recognition or eye tracking without any visible optical systems. There are also plans to use the glass in smart homes. Thanks to their innovative technology, glass window panes can assume monitoring tasks both inside and outside the home. They’re also capable of filtering sunlight, measuring the temperature and displaying a host of information.

“You can use any size of glass you like with any number of functions,” explains Dr. Alexandre Gatto from ZEISS Microstructured Optics. “The smart glass will soon be able to illuminate, identify, filter and project. It’s a fantastic innovation that could be used to do great things in augmented reality and in the automotive industry.”

ZEISS will be showcasing its innovations as part of an exhibit at the SPIE Photonics West trade fair from 5 to 7 February 2019 in San Francisco, USA.

For the first time ever, a technology developed by ZEISS has made it possible to utilize transparent glass or plastic in a whole range of different ways.
For the first time ever, a technology developed by ZEISS has made it possible to utilize transparent glass or plastic in a whole range of different ways.

Press contact Beatrice Weinberger

Corporate Brand, Communications and Public Affairs
ZEISS Group

About ZEISS

ZEISS is an internationally leading technology enterprise operating in the optics and optoelectronics industries. In the previous fiscal year, the ZEISS Group generated annual revenue totaling more than 5.8 billion euros in its four segments Industrial Quality & Research, Medical Technology, Consumer Markets and Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology (status: 30 September 2018).

For its customers, ZEISS develops, produces and distributes highly innovative solutions for industrial metrology and quality assurance, microscopy solutions for the life sciences and materials research, and medical technology solutions for diagnostics and treatment in ophthalmology and microsurgery. The name ZEISS is also synonymous with the world's leading lithography optics, which are used by the chip industry to manufacture semiconductor components. There is global demand for trendsetting ZEISS brand products such as eyeglass lenses, camera lenses and binoculars.

With a portfolio aligned with future growth areas like digitalization, healthcare and Smart Production and a strong brand, ZEISS is shaping the future far beyond the optics and optoelectronics industries. The company's significant, sustainable investments in research and development lay the foundation for the success and continued expansion of ZEISS' technology and market leadership.

Today the ZEISS Group is represented in almost 50 countries. About 30,000 employees worldwide work at around 60 sales and service locations, more than 30 production sites and about 25 research and development facilities. Founded in 1846 in Jena, the company is headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany. The Carl Zeiss Foundation, one of the largest foundations in Germany committed to the promotion of science, is the sole owner of the holding company, Carl Zeiss AG

Further information at www.zeiss.com

ZEISS in Jena

At the Jena site, all four segments are represented: Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology, Medical Technology and Research Microscopy Solutions, as well as ZEISS Planetariums and the Central Research area of ZEISS. Jena is also the headquarters of the central service company for the production operations of the ZEISS Group.