Lauren Beck is the former editor of Dockwalk and was with the publication from 2006 to 2023. At 13, she left South Africa aboard a 34-foot sailing boat with her family and ended up in St. Maarten for six years. Before college, she worked as crew for a year, and then cut her journalistic teeth at Better Homes and Gardens and Ladies’ Home Journal online. She loves traveling, reading, tennis, and rooting for the Boston Red Sox.
Whether you’re looking for sun protection or more privacy, dimmable glass might become your best friend. “Dimmable glass will become part of people’s everyday life,” says Alexandra Martin-Devaud, marketing and communication manager of Vision Systems. “When traveling, working, or at home, everyone is expecting ever more comfort, and smart glass solutions provide that — they improve your space.”
On yachts, Vision Systems’ electronically dimmable systems allow you to change the glass’s opacity, which can be used to increase privacy or protection from the sun, especially on windows where shades cannot be installed. “Our dimmable solutions are designed to adapt to complex environments from the wheelhouse to the lounge,” says Martin-Devaud. “They integrate the electronics and software, including customizable control panels and interior comfort management systems.”
Vision Systems won the DAME award at METS in 2012 for their dimmable glass with sensors that automatically adjust transparency depending on the light and have been making inroads into yachting ever since. They were back in 2022 with a new Ambience Management System, showcasing their segmented dimmable window paired with mood lighting, which can be controlled through the Ambience Management System — users can select a “mood” and it will automatically synchronize to the dimmable window to create the ambiance required.
The system can also manage other elements, including temperature, video, and sound. Also new at METS was Vision Systems smart switchable display, which includes a glass partition that displays information, images, or even video, combining suspended particle device (SPD) or polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) technologies for contrast and readability. When nothing is displayed, it can be transparent, opaque white, or opaque dark.
“They enable the occupant to gradually change the tint of a window from transparent to opaque, in order to regulate daylight, glare, and heat, while preserving the view or for instant privacy,” Martin-Devaud says. When powered down, Vision Systems’s dimmable glass remains in their darkest state, which maximizes “heat rejection,” reduces AC needs, and keeps the interior private. “An integrated IR barrier further strengthens heat blockage,” says Martin-Devaud. “These systems also block more than 99.9 percent of harmful UV light, even in transparent state, to protect the occupants and to prevent the interior furnishing from fading.”
Vision Systems’ solutions can be incorporated into flat or curved surfaces and tailor any shape of window or partition, in vertical or horizontal position (pergolas). Control is possible in many configurations, including through a touch panel on the window, control unit near the window, through a tablet or panel, or through integrated light or temperature sensors. They can be installed during build or refit and offer reduced maintenance. An added plus, Martin-Devaud says, “They perfectly meet the superyacht industry expectations as their sleek design conveys a modern, stylish image, allowing for [yacht] differentiation.”