Want to change the transparency of your window? Forget troublesome renovation work, for there’s an App for that too!

If you have a killer view from your house but curtains or blinds are cramping your style, installing Wi-Fi-enabled window shades you control with your smartphone could be an option to consider.

Northern California startup SONTE has designed a high-tech alternative to traditional window coverings: it’s a Wi-Fi-enabled window film you put on existing windows that can switch from clear to opaque via a smartphone app. This means you can enjoy the view through a window when you want and then get privacy when you need it.

SONTE film can be retrofitted on your existing windows through a do-it-yourself installation. You measure your window, cut the film to size and, using the film’s self-adhesive, stick it on the glass. You then add special conducting clips on the film and plug it into the Wi-Fi-enabled transformer. After downloading the companion app (iOS and Android), you can control the film’s transparency. SONTE says the film can turn solid by an electric current moving through, changing transparency within a second.

SONTE is trying to raise $200,000 on Kickstarter to expand its facilities, team and product output. With still 27 days left to go in the Kickstarter campaign, backers had pledged around $31,400, as of Wednesday afternoon. At various pledge levels, backers can get their own version of the film.

If you’re thinking about the impending summer sunshine, SONTE also claims the film provides UV protection. The creators add that another perk of the film is it can double as a projector screen when opaque.

 

This could be useful for homes, lofts or offices that have large or floor-to-ceiling windows, where motorized blinds or other options might be too clunky. A hitch to consider may be how smooth the installation process actually is, especially for those of us who are too familiar with that pesky piece of dirt that gets stuck behind the film screen protectors we install on our phones.

What do you think of this digital window shade? Is this something you’d want in your home or office? Let us know in the comments.

Thumbnail and images courtesy of SONTE

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