The tech world is talking about a Nokia patent application that describes a haptic tattoo. According to the patent, the body art would vibrate or otherwise react to an incoming call or message. The technology hinges on a unique material that’s “capable of detecting a magnetic field and transferring a perceivable stimulus to the skin.”
It’s an idea that’s probably wont make its way from an idea on paper to an actual product, but it got us thinking. What other weird mobile patents can be uncovered in the archives of the United States Patent and Trademark Office? Here are four unusual ones that’ll leave you shaking your head.
Jeff Bezos’ cellphone airbag
That’s right. Amazon’s founder has a patent for a mechanism that’ll protect your phone in a fall says PopSci. The technology uses the phone’s gyroscope and camera to detect a fall. While the phone plummets to the ground, it will deploy a preventative measure, like a built-in airbag with thrusters, to cushion the fall. Though the idea of a hover-phone is novel, I think I will stick with my trusty Otterbox case and its chunky holster to protect my phone.
The banana mobile phone case
As noticed by INC.com, James Laird Rickard has a patent, granted in 2006, for an odd-shaped mobile phone case. He describes it as “an elongated curving shape resembling a banana and partly encloses and holds a cellular phone.” I’m not sure how holding a banana is any more comfortable than holding a phone, but who am I to pass judgement. Interestingly enough, Rickard was granted another patent in 2007 for a similar, shoe-shaped phone case.
RIM’s twisty keyboard
RIM is known for its keyboards, but here is one that I am glad never made it past the concept stage. Described in a 2010 patent, the concept is a twisty, turny keyboard which can be used in portrait or landscape mode. It’s not as weird as the banana case, but it does show that RIM dreamed up ideas beyond its classic portrait keyboard which graces almost all its smartphone models.
A neck wrap/brace for phones
Clarence Thomas of Queens Village, NY is the proud owner of a 2005 patent that describes an elaborate neck wrap/brace and belt article holder says Mother Jones.
The design was meant to hold a telephone and its accessories so you can make hands-free calls. It was designed for legacy telephones, but you can easily swap out your landline phone for a mobile phone and look equally as dorky.
Apple’s AirJet Keyboard
As noted by 9to5 Mac, Apple has a patent for a tiny keyboard that lets you feel the keys before you tap them. One implementation uses tiny air jets that blow an upward stream of air on your finger tip before it lands on the touchscreen. Another embodiment describes a keyboard whose keys move away from you when you try to touch them. Jets of air and moving keys sound more like torture than touch typing to me.