Amazon’s new patent to protect smartphone using airbag technology
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January 23, 2013 • 
Smartphones are not rugged devices and are sensitive to drops. A broken screen, shattered camera or scratches on the screen are quite common in a world where we rely more and more on our smartphones. Until now, the only protection that could be added was to buy a good hardened case. This will definitely protect against low intensity falls. But the protective cases won’t be able to offer protection from shock and can only reduce the damage if fallen from a short height or the velocity of the drop is low.
That is going to change very soon. Amazon has patented a smart phone airbag technology to protect smartphones from accidental drops.This Patent was filed by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Amazon VP Greg Hart.
Amazon airbag technology
A built-in accelerometer will trigger the airbag mechanism if it detects that the phone is falling too quickly. A miniature airbag will be deployed as the safety mechanism to protect the phone from crashing. The patent application goes further — suggesting the possibility of reorienting the device in the air, by expelling gas, so that it lands on the side where an airbag is deployed. The patent filing also outlines a propulsion element that would also expel gas to “cause a gentle or safe landing”.
Is amazon going to put this technology in its new devices. The wait continues …
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