14 DAY TRIAL // For many mobile phone users, water can be a real problem. No matter if it's related to a sudden rain, a swimming pool, a toilet or just a puddle of water, a normal phone will not coop up well with a situation like that. But for any of these situations, there might be a solution called the P2i Ion-Mask. With this new technology, any mobile phone can turn into a real waterproof phone.
To get the record straight, the phone does not feature a case that makes it water resistant, but its case is treated with a special chemical solution that bonds with the cell phone not allowing water to get inside the handset and damage its circuits. To be more precise, the protective layer is a gas that has been electronically charged. The same gas has actually been used for treating soldiers' uniforms, in order to protect them from toxic vapors and liquids in case of a chemical or biological attack.
The minds behind the breakthrough are the people from Defense Science and Technology Lab, in England. After the test that has been made, the scientists can surely say that the treated phones can be used in wet environments without damage. This technology could allow one user to message people from the shower, if that should be the case. The Defense Science and Technology Laboratory has already been in talks with three leading phone manufacturers about using the coating for their phones.
"Mobile phones and MP3 players are too small to be fitted with seals to make them waterproof, so water inevitably can creep in. By making the surface repel water, we have been able to take devices that fail the normal? shower tests, and make them pass. Obviously, how waterproof a device is depends on design, but we can ensure that water doesn't seep through joins or small gaps. Some electronics companies want the individual components to be treated too, so they have a much greater level of protection", said Ian Robins, development director at P2i.