Mission Possible: Self-Destructing Phones Are Now a Reality (yahoo.com)

drunkdrone quotes the International Business Times: Self-destructing gadgets favored by the likes of James Bond and Mission: Impossible's Ethan Hunt have taken one step closer to reality. Researchers in Saudi Arabia have developed a mechanism that, when triggered, can destroy a smartphone or other electronic device in as little as 10 seconds. The self-destruct mechanism has been created by electrical engineers at the King Abdulla University of Science and Technology and consists of a polymer layer that rapidly expands when subjected to temperatures above 80 degrees Celsius, effectively bursting the phone open from the inside. The mechanism can be adapted to be triggered in various ways, including remotely through a smartphone app or when it's subjected to pressure.

Once triggered, power from the device's battery is directed to electrodes that rapidly heat, causing the polymer layer to expand to around seven times its original size within 10-15 seconds. This crushes the vital components inside the device, destroying any information stored on board.
One engineer believes the phone will see adoption in the intelligence and financial communities, though it can also be retrofitted to existing phones for just $15. This raises an interesting question -- would you want a self-destructing phone?

Comments

Re:Can't patent this

[WarJolt]

I think causing the phone to explode is more reliable. I have doubts that simply crushing the phone can reliability destroy the flash memory.

Re:I seriously doubt this works...

[gweihir]

I have destroyed flash chips with a hammer as additional security-measure for critical data from a customer. Turns out you need a _lot_ of force and you need to hit just right. Think anvil on one side and hammer on the other. This thing will not work.