Hydra: The Phone Case that Heals Itself from Scratches

Smart phones continue to amaze us with each new release, from thinner, more flexible phones, to those able to store more data and even shoot film-quality videos. The more precious and pricey our phones become though, the more we increase the need for protective cases that help to keep them free from damage.

Oftentimes, those protective cases that can keep out the water and can be dropped without fear, are also clunky and can still, in my own experience, be damaged. I was once conducting a review on a protective case and mistakenly had a large metal shelving bracket drop onto my new iPhone. While my phone was free from damage thanks to the new case I was testing it out, the new case did have a permanent scratch on it.

Now, some of the newest and most innovative releases of phones are beginning to focus on technology like self-healing materials that can help protect a phone’s appearance. LGs G Flex2 is one popular model already touting the ability to self-heal from scratches.

When I first heard about this, it sounded like something a bit too futuristic. So I took up the opportunity for a closer look at innerexile’s Hydra transparent self-healing protective case available for the iPhone 6 & 6 Plus.

The case, which is available in three translucent colors and retails for about $25, utilizes a patented coating that the company says has the ability to self-mend scratches within 30 seconds.

As demonstrated in the video below, the case is tested against a 1000g bronze brush for fine scratches to prove the highly resilient material can fix itself back to a smooth surface.

The case snaps on to the back of the phone and is very light, unlike other clunky protective cases. It’s also crystal clear, giving it a sleek appearance and allowing you to keep the full appearance of your phone without covering it up. It also offers easy access to all ports.

For purposes of testing the case, I immediately tried to scratch the back of the case against a table corner and got a decent line of demarcation on the back of it. Within a matter of seconds, the scratch was completely gone. Still not convinced, I threw my phone with the case on into my pocketbook. This is a bottomless bag of sharp objects like keys, sunglasses, mismatched earrings and everything else I can fit into its dimensions. When I took my phone out after a few hours there was no visible damage or scratches.

While pretty impressive and unlike anything I have seen, there are things I wish the case did incorporate. First, I think the materials used for this case could be used for some really great applications in the future. For this specific model however, I wish the case covered my entire phone. Currently it only snaps onto the back of it, and I have a tendency to put my phone face down, so it would be great to get this kind of protection on the front of the phone.

The company does currently offer a ‘Glacier’ phone cover that has the same self-healing materials and comes with special covers to ensure all the keys on the device are also well-protected. This version also has changeable keys in three colors, a key protector, a wiping cloth, and has 0.4 mm increased edges around the case for better screen protection against scratches.

Perhaps in the next few updates, I’d love to see a case that also features dust, shock and waterproofing elements. In my opinion, that could take protective cases to the next level.

For right now though, the company said it is concentrating efforts on the self-healing technology development and applying it to different products. I’ll take that and keep an eye out for exciting things ahead.