Can you imagine organising your daily schedule with a few touches on your bathroom mirror? Chatting with faraway relatives through interactive video on your kitchen counter? Reading a classic novel on a wisp-thin piece of flexible glass?
Speciality glass and ceramics manufacturer, Corning, is not only imagining these scenarios, the company is also engaging in research that could bring these possibilities alive in the not-too-distant future. You can get a glimpse of Corning’s vision in the video below.
The chairman and CEO of Corning Inc., Wendell Weeks, says the company’s vision for the future includes a world in which countless ordinary surfaces transform “from one-dimensional utility into sophisticated electronic devices”.
The video shows a world in which interactive glass surfaces help you stay connected through seamless delivery of real-time information – whether you’re working, shopping, eating, or relaxing.
“While we’re not saying that it will develop exactly as we’ve envisioned,” Wendell says, “we do know that this world is being created as we speak.”
Glass is the essential enabling material of this new world. “It’s a visual world, so transparency is a must,” explains Wendell. But that’s just the beginning. Ubiquitous displays require materials that are flexible, durable, stable under tough environmental conditions, and have a cool, touch-friendly aesthetic. And not just any glass will do. This world requires materials that are strong, yet thin and lightweight; that can enable complex electronic circuits and nano functionality; that can be scaled for extremely large applications, and that are also environmentally friendly. This is a type of speciality glass made by Corning.
Does the world showcased in “A Day Made of Glass” seem like something out of a fantasy movie? President of Corning Glass Technologies, Jim Clappin, reminds us that, just a decade ago, pay phones, VCRs and film cameras were also commonplace. Today, we’re accustomed to movies streaming on demand to a 60-inch television hanging on the wall and to video calls on notebook computers.” The consumer trend driving our vision for tomorrow is clear,” Jim says. “We all want to be connected with what we want, when we want – anywhere and with great ease. Corning’s innovations in glass will enable this journey to continue.”
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More information: www.corning.com
