Apple looks to protect dropped iPhones by shifting their orientation mid-flight

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Comments

  • Reply 81 of 91
    jsnuff1jsnuff1 Posts: 37member
    sweet a jet powered iPhone that can land itself!!
  • Reply 82 of 91
    Well a proximity sensor in the phone to know how long till it hits ground face first(this patent alters what is hit) huh, we'll at least it is not a Iairbag rumor where when you drop the phone a airbag shoots out.
  • Reply 83 of 91
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Well a proximity sensor in the phone to know how long till it hits ground face first(this patent alters what is hit) huh, we'll at least it is not a Iairbag rumor where when you drop the phone a airbag shoots out.

    A mini airbag might actually work, puffs or motor reorientation takes a lot to do this. But I don't know if anyone wants airbags in their pocket. Lithium batteries might be considered enough risk as it is.

    All the solutions would take so much space, I don't know if anyone would buy them. It's much simpler to get an Otter Box and be done with it.
  • Reply 84 of 91
    v5vv5v Posts: 1,357member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post



    All the solutions would take so much space, I don't know if anyone would buy them. It's much simpler to get an Otter Box and be done with it.


     


    No net savings in size. The volume added by an Otterbox is even more than the increase in phone dimensions required to accommodate internal reorientation components.


     


    Which approach would provide more actual protection is left as an exercise for students of the obvious! image

  • Reply 85 of 91
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    v5v wrote: »
    No net savings in size. The volume added by an Otterbox is even more than the increase in phone dimensions required to accommodate internal reorientation components.

    It's going to take a pretty powerful motor to flip an iPhone, then stabilize it so it's not continuing to rotate once reoriented, in the quarter second or so it's in freefall.

    Even assuming you're correct, then how about weight? How about cost? How about simplicity? A case is a bit of rubber and plastic.

    There are a few different otter boxes too, I just use the slimmest one, which is about the same thickness as most other cases. I think it's saved my bacon a couple times.
  • Reply 86 of 91
    wovel wrote: »
    Acceleration is not speed squared, you are confused.
    It can be but it also at minumum could be speed +1
    compduck wrote: »
    Gee, if Apple we ever to create a device that reverses itself in free fall, that would be cool. Instead of hitting the ground, it would snap back up like a yoyo without a string. That would be inovation.
    A bouncy IPhone this would be easier if it were plastic or rubber, however this bouncy would not be sensible for a iPhone.
    jeffdm wrote: »
    A mini airbag might actually work, puffs or motor reorientation takes a lot to do this. But I don't know if anyone wants airbags in their pocket. Lithium batteries might be considered enough risk as it is.

    All the solutions would take so much space, I don't know if anyone would buy them. It's much simpler to get an Otter Box and be done with it.
  • Reply 87 of 91
    muppetrymuppetry Posts: 3,331member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post




    Quote:

    Originally Posted by v5v View Post



    No net savings in size. The volume added by an Otterbox is even more than the increase in phone dimensions required to accommodate internal reorientation components.




    It's going to take a pretty powerful motor to flip an iPhone, then stabilize it so it's not continuing to rotate once reoriented, in the quarter second or so it's in freefall.



    Even assuming you're correct, then how about weight? How about cost? How about simplicity? A case is a bit of rubber and plastic.



    There are a few different otter boxes too, I just use the slimmest one, which is about the same thickness as most other cases. I think it's saved my bacon a couple times.


     


    It's probably not going to flip and stabilize - just alter its angular velocity (speed or axis) to modify the hit point by moving its center of mass, changing the moment of inertia around one of the principle axes or spinning an internal mass. The first two only work if it already has significant angular momentum, while the third is more universally applicable.

  • Reply 88 of 91
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    muppetry wrote: »
    It's probably not going to flip and stabilize - just alter its angular velocity (speed or axis) to modify the hit point by moving its center of mass, changing the moment of inertia around one of the principle axes or spinning an internal mass. The first two only work if it already has significant angular momentum, while the third is more universally applicable.

    That is only going to happen with an unacceptable increase volume, weight, complexity and cost, and for what?
  • Reply 89 of 91
    muppetrymuppetry Posts: 3,331member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post




    Quote:

    Originally Posted by muppetry View Post



    It's probably not going to flip and stabilize - just alter its angular velocity (speed or axis) to modify the hit point by moving its center of mass, changing the moment of inertia around one of the principle axes or spinning an internal mass. The first two only work if it already has significant angular momentum, while the third is more universally applicable.




    That is only going to happen with an unacceptable increase volume, weight, complexity and cost, and for what?


     


    I completely agree - it does not sound like a credible trade off. I was just commenting on how it would most likely be implemented if it were to happen.

  • Reply 90 of 91
    v5vv5v Posts: 1,357member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post



    [....] Even assuming you're correct, then how about weight? How about cost? How about simplicity? A case is a bit of rubber and plastic.


     


    What was the last line of my post Jeff? You know, the one you didn't quote...


     


    I don't know who you think you're arguing with but it isn't me.

  • Reply 91 of 91
    hungoverhungover Posts: 603member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by spacerays View Post


    Rubber, yeah :) Check out those rubber-bordered phones Nokia makes for the low-end segment in India. Those phones are practically unbreakable in a fall, or even if you throw them.

    There are videos of people throwing the Lumia 920, 30 foot in to the air. After it crashes back to terra-firma (the concrete floor) the screen is unharmed. http://bgr.com/2012/11/22/nokia-lumia-920-durability-test/ .

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