SPD-SmartGlass Protects Important Works of Art in the Brooklyn Museum From the Harmful Effects of Light

Museum Exhibit Cases Made With Instantly Dimmable SPD-SmartGlass Protect Precious Artifacts From Damage Caused by Light Exposure. An SPD-Smart Museum Exhibit Case Will be Featured at an Upcoming Art Conservation Event in May.

Research Frontiers Inc. the developer of patented SPD light-control technology, announced today that museum exhibit cases made with the Company's instantly dimmable SPD-SmartGlass are being used in the Great Hall of the world-renown Brooklyn Museum as part of the museum's newly opened "Connecting Cultures: A World in Brooklyn" exhibition.

The SPD-Smart museum exhibit cases are used specifically to minimize the damage from light exposure to the artifacts being exhibited. These artifacts include a 17^th century map by French cartographer Nicolas Sanson and an Incan tunic that dates to as early as the 15^th century. By pressing a button on the museum exhibit cases, visitors to the Great Hall can make the SPD-SmartGlass instantly clear, permitting a view of the artifact. After approximately sixty seconds, the SPD-SmartGlass automatically darkens, minimizing the artifact's exposure to light and thus protecting it.

Light can cause cumulative and irreversible damage to artwork such as paintings, paper manuscripts and textiles. By offering a technology that is able to block UV and visible light and that instantly switches between its tinted and clear states, SPD-Smart museum exhibit cases enable conservators and curators to display precious works of art while minimizing the detrimental effects of UV and visible light. These cases can be equipped with a motion detector to automatically make the SPD-SmartGlass clear when someone approaches the artifact. In addition, SPD-Smart museum exhibit cases can incorporate LED lights that concurrently change from off to on and off again as the transparency of the SPD-SmartGlass switches.

The SPD-SmartGlass for the museum exhibit cases in the Brooklyn Museum's "Connecting Cultures" exhibition was supplied by Research Frontiers licensee Innovative Glass Corporation. The cases were produced by The Small Corporation, a leading designer and manufacturer of archival museum exhibit cases and museum quality picture frames. More information about "Connecting Cultures" is available from the Brooklyn Museum's website and from a recently published New York Times article.

From May 8-11, 2012 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, The Small Corporation will feature an SPD-Smart museum exhibit case in its booth (#205-207) at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC). This exhibit case is equipped with electronically dimmable SPD-SmartGlass, a motion detector to automatically make the SPD-SmartGlass transmissive as someone approaches, LED lighting and auto-darkening functionality. If you are unable to attend the AIC event, you can view a video demonstration or photo of the SPD-Smart museum exhibit case.