Abstract
In this paper we report an optofluidic window shelter system that can be used for natural daylighting in buildings. The implementation of the optofluidic window shelter is based on electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD). The EWOD effect controls the contact angle between an electrolyte and a dielectric surface through the application of an electric potential difference between them. With two immiscible fluids (oil and water) in a transparent cuvette and with a high-reflectivity membrane film suspended between the fluid-fluid meniscus, we can actively control the contact angles along the fluid-fluid-solid tri-junction lines and hence the orientation of the membrane reflector via EWOD. As-formed dynamic reflector (heliostat) can be used for adaptive sunlight tracking and steering via reflection. Without any mechanical moving parts, this EWOD-tuned liquid prism allows the optofluidic heliostat to adaptively track both the daily and seasonal changes of the Sun’s orbit, i.e., dual-axis tracking, while steering sunlight into buildings for natural daylighting.
© 2016 Optical Society of America
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