SONTE Film – digital shade for your home and office

You’ve seen it in sci-fi movies, as well as in some fancy offices and bars, but dimming windows with a flip of a switch has been kept away from most of us. SONTE Film is the first ever Wi-Fi enabled digital shade that instantly switches windows from opaque to clear in less than a second. Although it comes in a DIY kit form, it is easily installed and much more affordable compared to other currently available solutions.

“Curtains have been around for thousands of years without much improvement”, said Bernard Kwan, CEO and Co-founder of SONTE. “The small advances that have been made, such as motorized shades and smart glass, can be extremely expensive and complex to install. With SONTE Film, we set out to revolutionize the industry of windows and curtains to make digital shade technology affordable and easy to use for all.”

The film pairs with a free smartphone app that allows users to turn SONTE Film “on” for see-through windows and “off” for opaque windows. The customizable digital shade is easy to install and affordable. Aside being used to remotely control a room’s privacy and lighting for last-minute energy savings, SONTE Film in opaque mode doubles as a projection screen.

Unlike bulky blinds and expensive window treatments, SONTE Film is designed to be do-it-yourself and completely customizable Since you can cut the film into any shape or size, it can be applied to just about any glass surface. To install, measure the window and cut the film to the size you need. The electrostatic cling adhesive back allows you to simply peel and stick the film onto the glass.

Once SONTE Film has been affixed, all you need is to place the quarter-sized proprietary conducting clip on the film and plug in the extra-slim cord to the Wi-Fi enabled transformer. The cord is comparable to a slim audio cord and can be easily hidden along or behind walls.

It requires AC power via the wall socket at 110-220VAC and 0.05 amperes per square meter (10.76 sq ft). While this might represent a setback for people not willing to conceal the wires, a helpful aspect of such design is to use a connector to power multiple films (two to three sheets) for windows that are side by side. These connectors can be used to daisy chain these windows and only require one power socket to power the films.

SONTE Film has a water disbursement surface layer and coating on the edges to ensure that moisture or water splashes do not damage the film. The film is also easy to uninstall and can be removed without leaving any residue behind.

It absorbs over 85 percent of UV light and reflects more than 70 percent of infrared light. Once installed, the film creates a slight effect on the clarity of windows when viewed from an angle, and its viewing angle is a bit more than 140 degrees. The digital shade currently blocks about 95 percent of light from entering windows when in “off” mode and in the “on” mode will allow 70% of light to enter.

At the moment, SONTE Film functions best as a privacy screen, however, its developers are working on improvements that will eliminate effects on clarity and enhance the light-blocking functionality. It is available for preorders on Kickstarter at various pledge levels with kits starting at $65.