While smart-tinting window technology is still gaining steam, a new company is investing in a film technology that aims to disrupt its development with an inexpensive and more versatile option.

A new intellectual property company, 3D Nanocolor, has acquired from HP Inc. rights to its electro-kinetic (EK) film technology.

The EK film technology is a result of years of research and development at HP Inc. and an advancement of HP’s leadership in “microfluidic” technology. It will be used for architectural and automotive purposes.

The resulting product is an optically switchabole film using electrically charged ink that can be applied to glass surfaces to control the color and contrast. The technology enables all kinds of surfaces to change both color and opaqueness and is used for aesthetics, privacy and energy conservation.

With it, the company is using targeting the commercial smart glass and window market. The company claims the film is superior to current leading smart window technology—electrochromic technology—for four reasons:

• Many colors can be created within the single film;
• The film can be applied to existing doors and windows and does not need to be installed during the construction process;
• According to the company, the cost to manufacture EK film is “substantially lower when compared to electrochromic technology;” and
• The film changes color faster than current smart-tinting technology—in one minute versus several minutes.

The film can be up to two colors and can control infrared light and solar energy transmission as does solar control film. 3D Nanocolor has tapped two former HP employees—Tim Koch and James Douvikas—to work on the project.

There’s no availability date as of yet, but the company spokesperson Jason Assad told Window Film magazine that they will “utilize the skills of a professional [film] installation specialist,” to complete the jobs.