Vigilant Windows Could Certainly Freak Out Would-Be Burglars

Why should you wait until someone breaks the window of your home? Your Vigilant Window can scare the heck out of burglars, so they'll never know what hit them, and probably never think of coming back!

If you've been thinking of getting a security system, or you have one that doesn't provide you with enough security... you should know about what is coming down the pike. A large German innovator and manufacturer, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, has invented a way to turn any window or glass door into a motion detector.

The company created a fluorescent coating that contains nanoparticles that convert light into fluorescent radiation. Once this coating is placed on the window, an invisible light is directed at the window. This light is directed to the edges of the window, where it is illuminated. The software for the Vigilant Windows system has been refined to differentiate the invisible UV light from passing car lights and street and property lights.

The light frame created at the edges of the window acts as a light barrier. If anything steps in front of it, there will be less light in that area and the sensors can determine its approximate size, the direction it is moving, and how fast it is moving. You may not know who it is, as the Vigilant Window system images are more like an x-ray than a photo, but you will know whether your intruder is a person or a bird or raccoon. And you can set your alarm threshold so that small animals will not trigger the alarm.

The research team at Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is doing the final tweaking of its invention, getting ready to produce and market it. You will be able to spray the fluorescent coat on your windows or cover them with a thin florescent film.

It will be interesting if the Vigilant Window makes a good dent in the industrial and home security market; there hasn't been much innovation in this area for awhile.

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft via gizmag