Invisible power solutions
Invisible connectivity thanks to high-tech glass
Imagine a high-tech world that combines the beauty and design possibilities of glass with the complete absence of the wires required for our everyday technology – a vision that has been made possible through a collaboration between NSG Group and innovative product design company Cohda
Thanks to the NSG TEC™ electrically conductive glass and Cohda’s Power-Tap (P-Tap) technology, a whole new world of design and application possibilities has powered onto the global marketplace.
With a technology that uses transparent conductive coatings to transfer power to any device without the need for wires, Power-Tap, developed by Cohda, is a transparent lamination of non-conductive and conductive glass such as NSG TEC™. The arrangement allows power or data to be transferred across individual layers within the lamination. Pre-machined apertures create taps to the positive and negative charged inner coatings that supply power delivery to embedded devices. These connected devices appear to be freely floating within an optically clear glass panel with no visible means of power connection.
NSG TEC™ as an electrically conductive glass is suitable for a wide range of applications, for example in visual displays. Thanks to its high light transmission, durability of the glass coating and the potential for thermal treatment, it is a versatile product. It is perfectly suited for applications with P-Tap technology.
Removing the need for wires offers designers, architects and engineers limitless opportunities for creativity by being able to locate powered devices within transparent structures. Devices such as USB sockets, induction charging pads, motors, cameras, sensors and digital displays can all be seamlessly integrated.
Early applications include LED lit display cases and shelving units for museums and induction charging 'smart' tables for high-end retail stores. Wider applications, some perhaps yet unimagined, will span a multitude of markets including Architecture, Security, Automotive, Retail and Lighting.
Photography: Cohda Design Limited