Mobile phone you can use in shower

London, Dec 30: If you love your mobile phone to the extent that you even take it along for a shower but end up damaging it , then 'waterproof' mobiles could be the best solution to this problem.

Electronics companies plan to use military technology, developed to protect soldiers from chemical attack, to make mobile telephones and other equipment waterproof, the Telegraph reported today. For electronic devices, protection from water is important. Water damage is one of the top reasons for insurance claims on mobiles, with more than 1.2 million being dropped in lavatories, drinks or put through washing machines last year.

The new technology involves an invisible coating that is chemically bonded to the surface of the instrument, repelling water and preventing it from seeping into the device where it could damage circuitry.

Phones treated with the coating will be protected from moisture, rain and accidental immersion, according to the experts behind the technology. Tests have shown that treated phones can be used in wet environments without damage. It could enable text addicts to use their devices in the shower.

It works by bonding a protective layer to the device using a plasma - a gas that has been electronically charged.

The chemical properties of the layer allow it to repel water and oil.

UNI