Finnish data-friendly glass woos judges in UK

The innovation is the first of its kind in the world in that it conducts the data signals transmitted through mobile networks, cancelling the attenuation of wireless signals caused by the exterior sides of buildings.

“Winning this award is truly a great honour for a young company like us,” Janne Mansikkamäki, the CEO of StealthCase, said to Arctic Startup. “Windows can play a key role in improving indoor connectivity, which is why we will continue to forge partnerships with glass fabricators internationally.”

“We want to thank Pihla Group, our strategic partner in Finland with whom we developed Antenna Glass, [for] the first real-life glass application of our technology.”

The effect is achieved with a narrow and almost invisible antenna pattern embedded in the coating installed along the edges of the window, explainedMinna Keränen, the marketing director at Pihla Group.

“Windows are still often approached from the viewpoint of energy efficiency, even though the choice should increasingly take into account how windows affect connections at home and the flow of remote work,” she argued.

This warrants consideration especially due to the surge in teleworking prompted by the coronavirus pandemic and the consequent need for faster and more reliable wireless connections at makeshift home offices around the world. The signals are presently attenuated by the well insulated walls and windows of modern buildings and dense urban construction, potentially causing technical difficulties for home-bound employees.

Although the need is already taken into account in residential construction, starting with the drafting of telework-friendly floor plans, construction companies, housing companies and home owners should all give it more thought when planning a window renovation or choosing windows for a new house, according to Keränen.