Nano-coating technology: water-repellent on steroids

Microsoft Channel9’s Laura Foy recorded an amazing demo of a soon-to-be mass-market water-repelling technology being showcased at the Mobile World Congress 2011. The infamous Arthur C. Clarke quote “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” couldn’t be more true here.

I’m glad she got it on video because she would have had a hard time convincing people otherwise. “What do you mean the tissue was dry inside a bowl of water.”

Wikipedia has a brief but simple explanation of the magic science behind all this and there’s also some great demo videos on the P2i’s company website.

Although I’m not sure if it’s plausible, this could be an interesting way to make phones submersible. Imagine being able go for a swim with your phone in your pocket. Windows Phone 7’s pocket to picture feature would be even better, underwater.

11 insightful thoughts

  1. I call bullshit. Aren’t phones are already waterproof, being, like, plastic? – surely it’s the water touching the electrical contacts that causes the problem?

    And is there any utility to blowing your nose on a piece of repellent plastic? Snot globules? Really?

    1. No, I’m not. How did you know?

      Maybe it’s because I nicked one of their tissues and tried to clean up. After the last time. With hilarious (to me) results.

  2. Excellent. Had seen the first version of the same principle in those Ermenegildo Zegna suits that cannot get stained, lose fibers and that repel water. Truly awesome stuff.

  3. i remember seeing something like this a few years ago it was called Golden Shellback but from what i know its still too expensive to do it @ a consumer level but for companies that have alot of phones they will do this

  4. They were in CES as well. And the napkin remains dry after taking from the water. I touched it myself. You can submerge it under water completely. Keep it there and when you take it out it dry… it was strange seeing it.

    1. 1 thing about the vid is they dont show what would happen if you tear the napkin then dip it back in the water

      1. it would get wet because you break it. nano coating is just on top so the sides get wet when the napkin is broken. it will stay dry as long as you dont change structural something… 🙂

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