Smart Glass Windows For In-Flight Info About The View
- Editor OGN Daily
- 6 days ago
- 1 min read
Zeiss wants to upgrade commercial jets with holographic Multifunctional Smart Glass systems.
How many times have you looked out of an aircraft window and wondered which mountain, river or city you were looking at? Well, if the renowned optical systems company Zeiss has its way, your window will one day have info displayed that tells you the answers.
The new technology is on display right now at the Aircraft Interiors Expo 2025 in Hamburg, Germany. The company, which has supplied NASA and the ESA with high-grade glass components for years, wants to move their new tech beyond the showroom floor and into aeroplanes.
To create transparent glass like an airplane window, Zeiss relies on a combination of micro-optical structures and holographic optical components, depending on the need. This may take the form of windows that display flight information, geographical orientation, local landmarks and moving maps for commercial plane passengers.
Zeiss isn’t restricting its holographic smart glass to airplane cabins, either. The company is already testing augmented reality HUD cockpit displays that reduce the need for pilots to look away from their surroundings.
The technology could serve as an invaluable tool during low-visibility situations such as evening flights, fog, and inclement weather. Future uses could also include turning an entire cockpit window into a single, augmented reality HUD display.