CSB #5: iPhone Accidental Phone Calls

Is it possible to call someone, accidentally,

on the iPhone simply by sitting on the

touchscreen?

Daniel Eran Dilger: Apple Insider

One thing about the iPhone that is really appealing to consumers is the fact that it reacts to the touch of skin, not to other materials. The machine does so by "respond[ing] to the tendency of human skin to disrupt an electrical field that is generated by the touchscreen." By doing so, this should prevent the dreaded "butt dialing," a slang term referring to an accidental phone call caused by the user's back pocket touching the screen and placing a call when they sit down. Now, I personally have never had an issue with the touchscreen, probably because I have a password on my phone. Since I have a password, it would be hard to unlock the phone, press all the right buttons for my password, and place a phone call. However, some have reported that they have had issues with the iPhone's tendency to place unnecessary calls. Scientists have conducted experiments to test these complaints. According to one source, it occurs more frequently when the user is sweaty. But how does sweat contribute to dialing a friend's number? The scientists confirmed that sweat connects the skin on one side of the pocket to the screen on the other. In other words, sweat allows the skin to affect the electrical field mentioned above. Overall, the iPhone has a pretty remarkable touchscreen mechanism, but remember to be careful while sitting down on a hot, muggy day!

Sources:

Porges, Seth. “Digital Clinic.” Science Reference Center. EBSCO, Feb. 2011. Web. 6 Mar. 2011. .

Image:

Dilger, Daniel Eran. “Apple iPhone: an initial (but in-depth) review.” Apple Insider. N.p., July 2007. Web. 6 Mar. 2011. .

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