While there are already iPhone cases that claim to protect against drops from up to 30 feet (9 m), most of those are actually more like housings that add considerable bulk to the phone. The Rhino Shield Crash Guard, however, takes a minimalist form, while reportedly still letting the phone withstand a 24-foot (7-m) drop.
The device is made by Evolutive Labs, the same Cambridge University-associated startup that previously brought us the heavy-duty Rhino Shield smartphone screen protector. It's made from a proprietary impact-absorbing polymer that incorporates a honeycomb-style structure on its inner surface. That combination of polymer and structure is said to distribute impact forces throughout the material, instead of allowing them to be concentrated at one point.
The Crash Guard itself takes the form of a 12-gram (0.4-oz), 2.5 mm-thick bumper, that goes around the very outside of the phone. Like other similar-looking devices, it allows access to all the ports and buttons ... but if the pitch video below is to be believed, it also keeps the phone in one functioning piece after falling over 20 feet to a concrete floor. It's additionally said to protect against up to over 225 pounds (102 kg) of pressure. In both cases, however, that's if it's combined with the Rhino Shield screen protector.
Evolutive Labs is presently raising production funds on Kickstarter, where it apparently met its financial goal within the first four hours of its campaign. You can get a Crash Guard and screen protector for iPhone 5, 6 or 6 Plus, with a pledge of £23 (about US$36). Assuming all goes to plan, shipping is scheduled to begin next month.
Source: Kickstarter
