Welcome to our blog, where you can keep up-to-date with the latest P2i news and developments. We will post articles regarding news, events we attend, speaker presentations as well as explaining the nanotechnology industry.
Search the P2i Blog
Showing posts with label water repellent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label water repellent. Show all posts
If you've ever dropped your phone in water, don't feel ashamed, you're not
alone.
A recent survey by P2i (details coming out in a press release soon)
showed that 43 per cent of us have suffered from accidental water damage.
We
asked people in the UK to tell us the story of how they managed this feat, and created
a countdown of our ten favorite responses:
10. Was on a water ride at a theme park
9. I accidently left it outside then it rained
8. It dropped into a puddle as I got out of my car
7. Opening a new bottle of cider caused it to fountain over
everything on the table
6. I knocked a jar of gherkins over it, death by
vinegar!
5. Dropped it into the kitchen sink full of washing up
4. While I was washing my hair the mobile started ringing
and I put it to my ear and water got in it.
3. I was trying to make it up to my wife for upsetting her
so I said I would wash our windows. Out came the bucket of warm water and as I bent
over to get the cloth… plop out of my top pocket, my phone fell in the water. To
top it off my wife was still mad with me.
2. Packing for a camping trip, I packed some eggs. Long
story short; the carton got squashed and liquid egg filled my bag, including
the pocket holding my phone.
1. Thinking it was a biscuit, I dunked it into a cup of tea.
Think you have an even better story to tell? Tweet us @P2iLabs or comment on
Facebook at /p2itechnology
There’s a look of genuine concern on Jason Bradbury’s face
as he says, “…are you ready for this? 500 quid in the drink”, and places the Samsung
Galaxy SIII into a flask of water. Now we all know electronics and water don’t
mix, but Jason is showing off Dunkable™, the latest nano-coating technology
from P2i, so we are
confident everything will go well.
You see Dunkable™ is a hydrophobic barrier coating which
means that not only does it combat forces like capillary action (which would
draw the water throughout the internals of the device) but it also acts as a
barrier to stop the water and the electronics interacting at the molecular
level.
The result is that
Polly and Jason can maintain a Skype video call underwater. See The Gadget Show
website to watch the clip for yourself:
After the show we received a number of emails, tweets and Facebook
comments, all asking where people could get their phones treated, and how much
it would cost. And this is where the title of the show comes into play… “Future
Special”.
What the show was, well, showing, is that P2i has developed
the technology to protect devices from water damage. But now comes the futuristic part, as we look to major manufacturers to incorporate the technology into the manufacturing
process. So you won’t need to pay extra to add this feature to
your device, it will come as standard!
In fact, our splash-proof nano-coating technology already
comes as standard on Motorola smartphones and tablets. So you can rest assured it’s
protected from everyday accidental splashes and spills. In January we also
announced a partnership with Alcatel who are rolling out the splash-proof
technology onto their latest range of smartphones.
So although you can’t buy a phone with Dunkable™ on it yet, the
future may not be that far away…
Did you know that the song 'We wish you a Merry Christmas' is from 16th Century England and has its origins in English tradition where wealthy people offered treats to carolers on Christmas Eve? Neither did we, till we looked it up but is quite interesting though. With Christmas day only a few sleeps away, we will be closing our office until 2013 but want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! But before we leave you, we have put together a special Christmas message together in the style of our Repellent Files. Hope you enjoy it!
Has your phone ever been splashed with water or other liquids? If so, the reaction to this is always one of dread, as smartphones are not designed to mix with water in any of its forms.
There are many solutions out there that aim to prevent phones from a watery grave. For example, putting the device in a bowl of rice, but these methods are optimistic at best and in most cases the end result is still not good.
Smartphones have become such an important part of our everyday lives that there are very few scenarios left where phones do not accompany us. In fact, in a recent survey, 19% of people interviewed admitted to having dropped their phones down the toilet!
All is not lost though, as protection from water damage is now available in the form of the Alcatel ONE TOUCH 997 Ultra smartphone.
The 997 Ultra repels water
Understanding the role smartphones play in today's society, Alcatel have teamed up with P2i to offer consumers a completely water repellent phone and reduce the fears they have when phones and liquids meet. To do this, the ONE TOUCH 997 Ultra comes complete with our nano-coating technology which is applied to both the external and internal surfaces, ensuring total protection from water damaging effects. You can see how our coating is applied to smartphones below:
As the coating is incredibly thin (1000 times smaller than a human hair), it does not interfere with the internal electrical conductivity, allowing all components to be treated, leaving no weak points to attract water and cause corrosion. This is great piece of mind should the 997 Ultra come into contact with water.
When launching the onetouch 997 Ultra, Alcatel mobile's theme is 'No Worries' and with the benefits our water repellent nano-coating offers, the concerns over everyday splashes and spills, or being caught in the rain, are becoming a thing of the past.
You can watch the technology in action below in the official Alcatel video and if you would like to know more details about the 997 Ultra, you can here.
Splashes, spills and rain.... No worries with the ONE TOUCH 997 Ultra!
----
* The water repellent
nano-coating applied by TCL, protects the internal components from water
ingress and corrosion damage, caused by accidental splashes and spills. The
coating is not a waterproof technology and TCL does not recommend that your
phone comes into contact with liquids.
2012 has been a busy year here at P2i and with 2013 only a few weeks away, we take a look back at some of our more exciting highlights.
January:
The first month of 2012 saw us attend two very different tradeshows. For the second year in a row, we exhibited at International CES in Las Vegas which was also a milestone for P2i, as we announced that over 8 million consumer electronics devices had been protected from water damage with our nano-coating technology. You can find out more about how we got on at CES here.
In addition, we also attended ISPO in Munich, Germany to promote our ion-mask™ technology to lifestyle brands, where we were delighted to announce that the technology had been applied to over 3 million pairs of shoes.
February:
Did you know that more than half of all mobile phone users expect devices to be water-repellent? In research carried out by P2i, mobile phone users from the UK, France, Germany, Spain and the US also admitted to using their devices in the rain, shower and sauna. Read all about the findings here.
February also saw our return to Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona where we were also interviewed by The Fonecast. In preparation for MWC, we also produced a brand new video to explain how our coating is applied to electronic devices. You can watch this video below:
March:
At AudiologyNow2012! we were delighted to be crowned Best of Show for the second year running, an award that was made all the more special as P2i was the first company to win this award in consecutive years. You can see our award and booth here.
Ever wondered what the difference between waterproof and water repellent electronics is? In our post from the 21st March, we look at the differences in more detail.
April:
In April, we attended two tradeshows for the first time, World Filtration Congress in Graz, Austria and NEPCON in Shanghai, China ,as well as featuring on NewsWatch TV hosted by Scott Steinberg.
Finally, we were delighted to announce our partnership with leading headwear brand Kangol, who have applied ion-mask™ to a range of their iconic hats. You can watch our technology in action on Kangol hats below:
May:
Our busiest month so far!
With the London Olympics just around the corner, P2i teamed up with UK Sport to protect equipment and accessories in cycling and sailing, two of Britain's leading sports. We also attended CTIA Wireless in New Orleans, USA and started our series of blogs entitled: A Brief History of Nanotechnology, which charts the early beginnings of nanotechnology through to the present day (you can find the series by searching our blog).
Do you know what happens if you apply our coating to normally water absorbent items? Well in May we created The Repellent Files to find out. You can see all our experiments so far which include Mentos & Diet Coke, sponges and coffee granules on P2i.TV.
To top off an excellent month, we were crowned Most Innovative Company of the Year 2012 by the Best in Biz Awards 2012 EMEA.
July:
While June went by a little more quietly, July was certainly a month to shout about, winning not one but two industry awards! At OutDoor 2012 in Friedrichshafen, Germany our collaboration with Trekmates was recognized as the DRY Mountain Lite Mitt featuring ion-mask™ was awarded the Industry Award in the Accessories category.
And at the same time, the Global Business Excellence (GBE) Awards were being held in London where we were acknowledged by winning the Outstanding New Product/Service award.
August/September:
Both August and September continued where July left off with more awards coming our way. In August, we were again awarded the title of Most Innovative Company in Europe by the International Business Awards (Stevies) and in September we were listed in the Sunday Times Tech Track 100 list. The list highlights the top-performing private companies and we came 27th!
October:
How waterproof are consumer electronics? That was the main topic of our blog in October. We also announced our exclusive partnership with Plantronics to protect cutting-edge Bluetooth devices, including the Voyager Legend headset.
November:
Did you catch Richard Hammond's Miracles of Nature on BBC One? If you did, you will have seen that we were featured! In the first episode entitled 'Super Bodies', Richard Hammond explored how nature has inspired human technological developments and how the wings of the Morpho butterfly produce the same water-repellent effect as our technology. The series will be on DVD from next year but images and more information from the show can be seen here.
November also saw the official launch of our partnership with Alcatel Mobile (TCL), where our coating has been applied to Alcatel's flagship model, the ONE TOUCH 997 Ultra. Watch the video below:
Last but not least, it was time to answer another frequently asked question: How small is our coating?
December:
There are exciting projects in the pipeline but you will have to wait to find out what. We also have a host of activity planned for 2013, so watch this space...
If you would like to know more about our technology, visit www.p2i.com or alternatively you can ask us a question in the comment box below.
This week we are demonstrating the benefits of both technologies. In London, on the 4th December we had a stand within the Stuff Zone at Trends Plus 2012. The event which is in its second year, acts as a forum for ideas, creativity and blue-sky thinking and attracts delegates in marketing, advertising as well as new product developments.
You can find out more about our presence at Trends Plus here.
Setting up our stand
Demonstrating the repellent properties of our coating at Stuff Zone
Coinciding with Trends Plus is The Running Event taking place in Austin, Texas and is the premier expo for speciality retailers. If you are attending the show, we can be found at booth 1425, where we are demonstrating our ion-mask technology to a wide range of audiences. You can find out more about The Running Event here.
Our Running Event booth
More images from the event will be posted on our Twitter and Facebook accounts and you can keep up to date with what events and tradeshows we attend by visiting www.p2i.com/events
As you know we have been experimenting with our water repellent coating to discover if it can turn normally water absorbent and dissolvable items into repellent ones.
So far we have published 11 different Repellent Files including:
Berocca
Coffee
Sponges
Sugar Cubes
Mentos (& Diet Coke)
If you have not seen what happens when a pack of Mentos are dropped in Diet Coke, get on YouTube and have a look, it is worth it.
Each week we look to publish a new video on our YouTube channel, but if you have any suggestions of products or items you would like to see featured in the Repellent Files do let us know in the comment box at the end of this post and who knows you could see your suggestion feature in one of our videos!
You can watch all the Repellent Files we have posted so far below and remember to check out our channel, Twitter and Facebook accounts for the next instalment this Friday.
Case #1: Teabag
Case #2: Berocca Tablets
Case #3: The Biscuit Dunk
Case #4: Anyone for Coffee?
Case #5: Sugar Cubes
Case #6: Sponges
Case #7: Mentos & Diet Coke
Case #8: Newspapers
Case #9: Water Droplets
Case #10: A Water Droplets Journey
Hope you enjoyed watching them! If so, subscribe to our channel to be alerted whenever we put a new video up.
In today's world, the relationship we have with our electronics has never been closer. From exercising in the gym or great outdoors, to work environments such as meetings and conference calls, electronic devices are everywhere to be seen.
We take for granted the reliability of our devices. We expect them to operate normally even in 'risky' locations such as being caught out in bad weather or during/after exercise where devices come into contact with our sweat and moisture.
In these conditions, devices can meet a premature end, as any form of liquid can cause damage and corrosion. And while the thought of water damage is not a pleasant one, help is at hand in the form of headsets from Plantronics.
Water, sweat, humidity and moisture all present a constant threat to headsets. Extensive regular use results in increased moisture build-up, which can either reduce performance or in the worst case, cause device malfunction.
Recognising the threat, Plantronics have incorporated P2i's nano-coating technology onto the new Voyager Legend™ Bluetooth® headset as well as the soon to be launched BackBeat® GO earbuds.
Plantronics Voyager Legend™ - Protected by P2i technology
With a thickness the equivalent to one thousandth that of a human hair, the coating does not change the look or feel of the headsets yet protects both the inside and outside of the products from moisture damage.
What this means to the wearer is that they can be confident the headsets will withstand the damage of everyday life. P2i's nano-coating ensures that liquids simply run off the headsets instead of getting inside and damaging the internal components.
Plantronics have produced a range of video around both headsets but you can watch the main Voyager Legend™ commercial below:
You can also find out more on the Voyager Legend™ and P2i's moisture protection here as well as details on the BackBeat® GO here.
We are very excited about this relationship and the response to the headsets has been very positive, with the Voyager Legend™ already receiving recognition, including the September Editor's Choice award from CNET.
Whatever challenges your day to day life presents, Plantronics Voyager Legend™ and BackBeat® GO® headsets featuring P2i's nano-coating moisture protection will meet them head on.
If you live in the UK and happened to have tuned into BBC 1 at 9pm on Monday, you would have noticed a programme called Richard Hammond's Miracles of Nature. If you missed it, the first episode entitled: Super-Bodies can be seen on the BBC iPlayer now (UK only).
But why highlight this you maybe asking? Good question. Well, the answer is quite simple, we featured in it from 45 minutes in :)
The show, which has three, one-hour episodes, follows Richard Hammond around the world as he takes a closer look at some amazing animals and how their natural abilities are inspiring new technological developments. In the show, we learn how the way a giraffe controls it blood pressure when bending down to drink has inspired the development of fighter pilot suits to combat the stresses of g-forces. In addition, did you know that a woodpecker's skull is teaching us how to develop more protective crash helmets - demonstrated in the show by dropping a light bulb from space in a protective casing designed to be like the scull of the woodpecker.
As the episode approaches its conclusion, attention turns to South America, in particular the rainforest, where a creature with a unique ability lives, the Morpho Butterfly.
The Morpho Butterfly - As seen of BBC 1s Miracles of Nature
So what makes this butterfly unique? As you can imagine, living in the forests of South America, it rains alot, and if only a fraction of water was to be absorbed into its wing, the result would cause the butterfly to be unstable as the water would make their wings heavy and flying impossible. However, the butterfly combats this with a clever adaption, its wings are totally water repellent, meaning that any rain drops that do come into contact with it, simply bead up and roll off. Sounding familiar?
In nature, there are many examples of animals and plants that have developed water repellent surfaces to ensure they stay dry - the lotus leaf being one particular example. And of course, we have all heard of the expression 'like water off a duck's back'? Which although has different connotations, does originally refer to the way a ducks feathers repel water, staying light and dry even when submerged.
How is it then that the Morpho butterfly, lotus leaf and feathers from a duck repel water so well? To answer that you need a microscope with significant zoom. While the wings on the Morpho butterfly look and feel smooth, when viewed on the nanoscale (x1000) it is clear that they are actually made up of millions of tiny ridges. Although we can't see it with the naked eye, these invisible ridges ensure that only the smallest amounts of water actually comes into contact with the surface, resulting in the water remaining in droplet/bead form and simply rolling off.
If you are familiar with our technology you will know that any water that comes into contact with our coating beads up and rolls off. There is however a difference as to how this roll off effect is created. Our technology is applied as a surface chemistry, meaning the coating is molecularly bonded to the surface of products given it a low surface energy in order to repel water. The butterfly however, has a natural surface roughness to its wings which creates an air-liquid interface which effectively lowers the surface energy and repels water. In nature this technique works well but the reason we use a surface chemistry over roughness is due to its durability. When a roughness coating is applied to man-made objects it is not chemically bonded to its surface resulting in the durability and repellency diminishing very quickly. Not a problem in nature as the butterfly can replace its surface when required but in man-made products, a surface chemistry such as P2i technology is a more effective and reliable option for repelling water.
We achieve this water repellency by placing complete products within a chamber where our coating is applied in a gas form, molecularly bonding to both the external and internal materials, altering their surface energy. The result: a completely water repellent product. You can see how our coating is applied to smartphones in our video below:
For Miracles of Nature, the BBC wanted to take it one step further and we were tasked with treating more unusual items, such as a newspaper, egg carton and an entire white suit. To see the results you will have to watch the show, it is worth it we promise, but below are some stills to give you a little teaser:
Water repellent newspaper
Water repellent egg carton
Hydrophobic suit (As seen on BBC 1s Miracles of Nature)
As a finale, Richard discusses a dilemma that a lot of us have perhaps experienced but never really spoken about... dropping our phones down the toilet. According to the show, 19% of us admitted to having suffered this first hand! And in the majority of cases the results have not been good, e.g. a broken and dead phone.
This however is no longer a problem, as Richard demonstrates by dropping a P2i treated smartphone down the toilet, retrieving it when a call comes through and answering it. This showcases that with our water repellent coating, smartphones and other electronics need no longer fear accidental splashes, spill and the dreaded drop down the toilet.
Do check out the show if you can and if you have any questions about our technology, don't hesitate to ask in the comment box below or you can also reach us on Facebook and Twitter.
We will leave you will a slow-motion clip of a smartphones meeting with water but don't worry this phone was treated!
If you are a keen follower of consumer technology, then you will be aware that there has been a steady emergence over the past year of smartphones and tablets offered complete with 'waterproof' protection. But just how waterproof are these electronics?
Gadgets form an essential part of our everyday lives and there are few places left where our smartphones and tablets do not accompany us. More and more people are taking their electronics into potentially hazardous locations, for example the bathroom or even worse, saunas!
What you may not realize is that even if the device is left in a 'safe' spot, these environments still pose a risk. Water takes many forms such as vapour, mist and steam, all of which can penetrate inside devices. If there is no barrier against ingress, then the vapour or steam can reach internal components, resulting in corrosion and phone malfunctions.
This principle is more commonly understood when dealing with water in its normal form, liquid. Should a device fall into, or be splashed with liquid, without a protective barrier in place, the liquid can penetrate deep inside the device, resulting in electrochemical migration. We have discussed electrochemical migration in a previous post but here is a recap:
Electrochemical migration is the movement of metal ions between conductors which results in devices short circuiting and failing.
Our everyday lives have resulted in a greater need for electronics that can withstand the effects of liquids in all their forms. This in turn has seen the latest smartphones and tablets being offered with a repellent or waterproof protection.
What makes electronics waterproof?
For an electronic device to be considered waterproof, it has to be either completely sealed and ruggedized (making them bulky), or alternatively it must have barriers in place that stop water from penetrating through. It is this second option that is proving more popular now, as it allows devices to offer protection from water without the need for external casings. In this approach, manufacturers use seals known as gaskets or O-rings to act as barriers, stopping liquids from penetrating inside the device and damaging the internal components.
So are they really waterproof?
This is an interesting question as devices can claim to be waterproof if they have barriers in place to keep water out, but what about the internal components themselves? Are they also protected should liquid manage to get inside?
The answer in the majority of cases is unfortunately NO. Sealing devices off does stop water from getting in but if the barrier is compromised, for example by a device being dropped, then the case, gaskets or O-rings protecting it can become damaged and break. This could allow water to seep towards the circuit
board and internal components, resulting in device failure and loss of
data.
It just takes one break in the seal for water to get inside and if this does occur, it may not be noticed as seals are hidden away on the inside. So while we think our device is waterproof, a break in the seal will not become apparent until the phone is malfunctioning and by then it could be too late.
The importance of protecting the internal components
Knowing that waterproof devices are only as good as the seals and barriers that protect them, it is important that protection is also offered to the internal components as well. And this is where liquid repellent nano-coating technology comes in.
A liquid repellent nano-coating differs from a waterproof solution in that it is not a physical barrier, meaning that liquid can still penetrate inside the device. This, however, is not the end of the device's life. The nano-coating, which is applied in vapour form, molecularly bonds to both the inside and outside of the entire device, ensuring that each and every exposed surface is treated. What this means is that, although water can get inside the device, any liquid that does come into contact
with components will simply move away from the surface, rather than sticking to it, resulting in reduced corrosion, electrochemical migration and failure.
While a nano-coating is not waterproof (it is not a physical barrier), it does protect from splashes and spills as well as less obvious 'wet' environments such as saunas, bathrooms and high humidity climates.
A waterproof device has many benefits for day to day life but if the barrier fails, the device becomes vulnerable. By applying a liquid repellent nano-coating to the internal components, protection is offered to the most valuable parts of electronic devices, where all our data, numbers and images are stored. Nano-coatings are not a waterproof solution but do offer protection against everyday scenarios and environments, we and our devices find ourselves exposed to.
If you would like to know more about our liquid repellent nano-coating do let us know in the comments below. You can also see how our repellent nano-coating is applied to electronics in the video below:
Since we first highlighted The Repellent Files back in May we have being busy investigating whether our liquid repellent nano-coating can successfully stop water absorbant products from, well, abosrbing water.
Our first investigation on Teabags was a great success and from there our research went further still, and we started to test our coating on items that dissolve the moment water or any other liquid comes into contact with them, such as coffee and Berocca (Alka Selzter).
We have now posted five different Repellent Files which you can watch on P2i.TV or alternatively we have highlighted each video below:
Case #1: Teabags
Case #2: Berocca
Case #3: The Biscuit Dunk
Case #4: Anyone for Coffee?
Case #5: Sugar Cubes
As you can see our nano-coating technology has proved successful in turning items that we know should absorb and dissolve when in contact with water into products that are now water repellent. If you have any thoughs on items you would like to see featured in this series do let us know either in the comments box below or on our Twitter and Facebook pages, where you can also be kept up to date when the next file is out.
Have you heard the news! We have been crowned the Most Innovative Company of the Year 2012 by Best in Biz awards EMEA.
We are delighted to have won this award which was judged by distinguished business journalists and industry analysts from around the world.
What made P2i stand out?
Good question. We were awarded 'Gold' by Best of Biz for the developments we have made from low volume processing into a high volume solution that now sees our nano-coating technology applied to millions of smartphones, tablets and hearing aids across the globe.
It was made even more special to win this award as it echoes our achievements of 2011 where we were named Most Innovative Company in Europe by the International Business Awards, received the Fast Growth Business award for Best Use of Technology and were awarded the Borderless Business (Business Hero) award by Management Today. You can read more about these awards from the links below:
Our last post explored the emergence of the field of nanotechnology as we know it in the 1980s and 1990s, including seminal developments by scientists such as Eric Drexler, Richard Smalley, and others.
Now we turn our attention towards the early 2000s, which proved to be an exciting time for nanotechnology. The field could now be explored and debated in greater depth. Drexler and Smalley, for instance, famously engaged in a public discussion about approaches to nanotechnology, with Drexler defending his idea of "universal assemblers" and Smalley offering objections.
Meanwhile, concerns about the broader implications of nanotechnology - a potentially very powerful but still relatively new field - were being raised and addressed with consideration given to both the potential benefits as well as risks involved. In 2003 congressional hearings on the societal implications of nanotechnology were raised and in 2004 the Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering published a report on the implications of nanotechnology and nanoscience, which you can read here.
Nanotechnology also began to appear more in more commercial settings during the 2000s, including the emergance of our technology and the launch of ion-mask™ on Hi-Tec shoes:
In the early part of the decade, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles were included in sunscreen and cosmetics, and carbon nanotubes were used to make textiles stain-resistant. By 2011 the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies estimated that there were over 1300 nanotech products publicly available.
In our next and final post of the series, we'll take a closer look at what the future might hold for nanotechnology. If would like to read some of our early posts in this series you can through the links below:
You may be wondering what the title means. Well, here at P2i we are often asked what other products our technology could be applied to. And this is a question that is regularly brought up by people who have witnessed our tissue demonstration as well:
So this got us thinking and the idea of The Repellent Files were born.
So what are The Repellent Files?
Each week we will upload a new video to YouTube of a different, normally water absorbent item that has been treated with our liquid repellent nano-coating to see how well it copes when subjected to water or other liquids.
In our first file posted yesterday, we investigated whether a teabag, coated with our nanotechnology, could keep the water clear once boiling hot water was poured over it. To ensure it was an even test, we had a regular teabag available as well.
Want to know what happened? Well, have a watch of the video below and you can see the result for yourself:
The Verdict:
Thumbs Up! Although it is not very good if you want a cup of tea, but the test shows that our coating can stop a teabag acting as it should by successfully repelling the water around it.
If you have any suggestions for items that can be put to the test, do let us know. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube where we will be posting the next file.
This week we have been exhibiting for the first time at CTIA Wireless in New Orleans. The show is a leading electronics event and we were there showcasing our Aridion technology to a host of brands, businesses and media.
You can see some images of our booth further below but one of the highlights from the event was the video that Phone Arena took of our demonstration which you can watch by clicking the below screen:
You can read the article in full here. If you would like to know more about Aridion and how it works do ask in the comments below otherwise you can visit www.aridion.com
You may have seen on our Facebook and Twitter accounts about our collaboration with Kangol on their new range of headwear featuring our ion-mask™ technology. Well, we are delighted to announce that the collection is now available!
To tie in with the launch both Kangol and P2i have released a video which showcases the benefits ion-mask™ brings to headwear which you can see below:
As you can see from the video, headwear that is treated with ion-mask™ will stay dry and lightweight keeping the wearer comfortable throughout the day.
We are excited to be working with Kangol and look forward to hearing your thoughts on how you find these hats? If you have any questions about ion-mask™, such as how it works, please do comment below or you can get in contact with us on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
We are currently exhibiting at the 2012 NEPCON Expo in Shanghai where the electronics world gathers for 3 days to see new product launches and learn about industry developments and trends.
This is our first time at the Expo where we are showcasing and demostrating our Aridion technology. Here are collection of images from Shanghai:
The Shanghai skyline
Entrance to NEPCON 2012
Our booth gathers a crowd
Our booth before the expo opened
NECPON finishes tomorrow (Friday 27th) so if you are at the show come and visit us in booth 1H57. You can also find out more about how Aridion works here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c83n-vkno8U
Scott Steinberg, technology analyst for broadcast networks including CNN, FOX, NBC and publications such as The New York Times and Wired has spoken with NewsWatch TV about some of the top technology products to look out for in 2012. And Aridion technology is one of them!
The show which was hosted by Scott, was broadcast across America on the 5th April and highlighted what technology products are worth keeping your eye out for this year. The show which is 30 minutes in length showcased our Aridion technology towards the end of the episode and you can watch our segment below:
If you would like to know more about Aridion and how it protects electronics from water and corrosion damage you can here.
About this time last year our booth was crowned the Best of Show at AudiologyNOW! 2011 and we are back exhibiting at this year's show which takes place in Boston from the 29th-31st March 2012.
Our fingers are crossed, hoping to win the Best of Show award again but our real aim at AudiologyNOW! 2012 is to promote and demonstrate our Aridion™ technology. Since the 2011 show, Aridion™ is now applied to approximately 60% of hearing aids worldwide, protecting them against water and corrosion damage which can occur where moisture, sweat and cerumen builds up.
These types of environments can all be found within and around the ear and are a significant factor in causing hearing aids to malfuction. Aridion™ signfincantly reduces the damage caused by liquid and moisture resulting in longer lasting devices and reduced return rates.
AudiologyNOW! is the world's largest gathering of audiologists and we are looking forward to once again showcasing how Aridion™ can revolutionize the performance of hearing aids for manufacturers and consumers.
Below are some images from last years show:
CEO, Carl Francis and Natasha Verniquet with the Best of Show Award
Capture of the P2i booth from the foyer
We will be tweeting from the show and you can follow us on Twitter here.
On the back of the International CES and Mobile World Congress (MWC) tradeshows there has been an increased amount of discussion, and at times confusion on the difference between waterproof and water repellent electronics. In this post, we will shed more light and understanding on the subject, but before we begin, here is how each is defined:
Waterproof: Impervious to water
Water Repellent: Treated with a finish that is resistant but not impervious to penetration by water
Put simply, waterproof requires a physical barrier altering the device, water repellent does not change appearance and can be applied to any device.
How do electronics become waterproof?
The term waterproof is itself confusing as there are varying scales of 'waterproofness' that can be measured to determine how well electronics perform in and around water. This scale is known as the Ingress Protection Rating (IPX) and is based on a scale of 0-8 where 0 means it has no protection and 8 means it can handle continuous immersion in water. For example, an electronic device that has an IPX7 rating is protected against water submersion to a depth of 1m for no longer than 30mins. The level of water protection a device is capable of is usually highlighted by the manufacturer either on the device or in the manual.
For a smartphone to pass IPX6 and above, the devices physical appearance is normally compromized and this can be seen through the development of ruggedized handsets that feature protective rubber and plastic casings, as below:
Sonim XP3 waterproof phone
Fast forward to today and what was clear from the coverage at CES and MWC is that there is a strong desire for devices to be able to withstand water or other liquids. But unlike the above, the devices that are now appearing and claiming to be waterproof are not basic phones but instead are the latest smartphones on the market. What's more, these devices do not appear to have a protective case at all.
How are these new devices waterproof?
Well the answer is quite simple, gaskets and O-rings. Before water can reach the valuable internal components where all our data is stored there are barriers in place in the forms of gaskets and O-rings. For quick reference a gasket is a mechanical seal which fills the space between two or more surfaces to prevent leaking while an O-ring is designed to be compressed between two parts creating a seal. While both these barriers stop water from penetrating inside the device they can still alter physical aspects of the device making them bulky as well as expensive to produce and purchase.
There is also another problem, these seals can be comprised by general use and over time the parts can move or be damaged should the device be dropped. If just one of these barriers were to break, water would then be able seep inside towards the circuit board and internal components, resulting in device failure and loss of data as the inside becomes exposed to water.
Why repellency over waterproof?
Firstly, we need to be clear what repellent means when talking about electronics and how it differs from waterproof. That is where Aridion™ comes in.
The key difference is that electronics treated with Aridion™ will still allow water to get inside. Does that mean the end of the devices life? Not necessarily, as Aridion™ molecularly bonds to both the inside and outside of the entire device ensuring that each and every exposed surface is coated. This means that any water that does come into contact will move away from the surface rather than sticking to the device and if water does get inside, the internal components are also treated, producing the same effect.
This type of protection allows the device to be created without having to compensate for a protective casing, gaskets or O-rings. What is important to remember however is that even though the water is repelled, the coating does not make the device waterproof as it is not designed to withstand submersion.
You can get a better idea of how the coating is applied and works in this video:
Aridion™ provides water protection by removing the buildup of corrosion. Corrosion occurs not just when a phone is submerged but in high humidity and moisture environments such as saunas, in the bathroom when having a shower or traveling through different temperatures. All these factors can lead to internal moisture buildup which over time can corrode the circuits. Aridion™ protects against this as it stops the water/moisture from sticking to and in between the components which would result in electrochemical migration. Electrochemical migration is the movement of metal ions between conductors and if this happens the device short circuits.
So what is the difference?
In the simplest terms, for a device to be waterproof it has to either be completely sealed and ruggedized (making them bulky) or alternatively it must have barriers in place which stops water from penetrating through. The disadvantage with that being these seals can break resulting in the device becoming susceptible to water and corrosion damage.
Water repellent does not mean waterproof but it does mean protection from splashes, spills, corrosion and water damage brought on by the scenarios mentioned earlier (humidty and moisture) as well as those 'caught out in the rain' moments we have all experianced.
If you would like to know more about Aridion™ technology and the benefits it offers you can here.
The following video which was filmed at MWC with our CTO Dr. Stephen Coulson visibly demonstrates the benefits that Aridion™ offers to electronics devices:
Aridion™ is applied during the manufacturing process and is already applied to over 9 million devices including the Motorola RAZR and XOOM 2.
.jpg)
