I have a phone screen that is currently riddled with scratches. This is for two reason. The first is that I have an unpopular phone that doesn’t have readily available screen protectors. The second is that I am an idiot. I forgot that I had a phone without a screen protector, and put it in the same pocket as my keys – a ball of sharp, pointy bits.
I’d stab Darryn in the fact for a phone with a screen that could heal itself. I may not have to resort to that sort of pointed violence though, as Motorola has patented a self-healing phone screen.
According to Slashgear, Motorola could be planning to release a phone that had a screen utilising thermal black magic to heal itself when cracked or damaged. The phone would theoretically detect when the screen was damaged in some way, and engage its healing mechanisms, which rely on the screen being made out of a “transparent plastic or glass-like polymer.”
While this sort of technical wizardry wouldn’t completely fix a broken screen, accordinto Motorola it would help “to reverse at least some deformation.”
It’s not the first sort of consumer technology to fix itself. In 2005, Nissan developed a self-healing paint and has been offering it on selected cars and SUV’s since then. Other companies have taken the technology forward, developing cars that are capable of self-repairing scratches as long as the metal doesn’t bend.
“The paint protection film (PPF) is incredible. Its self-healing properties come from the film always returning to its natural shape,” says Ben Robinson, managing director at Reep Eastern. “The glue underneath the paint doesn’t harden, it stays in a fluid state which helps the film to recover from something such as a nasty scratch.”
That sort of paint only comes on the sorts of cars you wish you could afford, but can be added as an aftermarket service to just about any vehicle.
Last Updated: August 16, 2017
