Airbags for cellphones patented

Just when you thought patents couldn’t get any crazier, Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos; and Amazon’s VP, Greg Hart; have been recently awarded a new patent that is likely to be in the running for gold in this year’s most ridiculous patent competition. And the patent in question? Why, none other than airbags for your cellphones of course! In the event you drop your phone from a high place, instead of hearing the crack of glass/metal/plastic against the pavement – you’ll be hearing the sweet sounds of air bags being deployed to give your phone a nice cushy landing.

The system works with the use of a gyroscope, camera, infrared beam, radar, and other sensors to detect if the phone is falling or just swinging around in your pocket, lest it deploys accidentally when you’re walking around. What if I hold the phone in my hand and jump down a couple of stairs? I sure hope it can detect my hands around the phone if not I would have to spend money replacing the airbags on the phone.

The patent even suggests the possibility of thrusters that expel gas so it lands on the side where the airbag is deployed. Talk about over elaborate. In case they didn’t know, there are plenty of cases that already do a pretty good job of protecting your phone from falls right now.

George Wong
Categories: Cellphones, Featured
Tags: Patent, safety