Dropping your smartphone is never a good thing. That's why people have experimented with protective measures such as auto-deploying airbags. The spring-loaded ADcase, however, looks like it could be a much more practical solution – and you may soon be able to buy one.
The award-winning device was invented as a thesis project by Philip Frenzel, a 25 year-old mechatronics master's student at Germany's Aalen University.
Essentially, it's a relatively slim case for iPhone models 6 and up (it protrudes just 4.9 mm from the back of the phone) that's equipped with sensors that detect when the phone is in free-fall. Those sensors automatically trigger pairs of metal-spring curled dampers to pop out from each corner of the case, cushioning the phone's landing – the AD in the name stands for Active Damping.
Frenzel has now partnered with Aalen economics grad Peter Mayer, founding a startup to develop the technology commercially. The duo are planning to launch a Kickstarter campaign next month, in order to raise production funds (there is currently no word on pricing). If you're interested in being a backer, you can register for notifications via the first of the two links at the end of this article.
You can see the ARcase in bouncy action, in the following video.
Source: Frenzel + Mayer Solutions via Preview Online
