Why a Helium Leak Disabled Every iPhone in a Medical Facility

Gaywallet (they/it)@beehaw.org to Technology@beehaw.org – 43 points – Why a Helium Leak Disabled Every iPhone in a Medical Facility
vice.com
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[…] so why were only Apple phones affected?

The answer, it seems, is because Apple recently defected from traditional quartz-based clocks in its phones in favor of clocks that are also made of MEMS silicon. Given that clocks are the most critical device in any computer and are necessary to make the CPU function, their disruption with helium atoms is enough to crash the device.Β 

In this case, the leaking helium from the MRI machine infiltrated the iPhones like a β€œtiny grain of sand” and caused the MEMS clocks to go haywire.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microelectromechanical_system_oscillator

Interesting

MEMS oscillators incorporate MEMS resonators, which are microelectromechanical structures that define stable frequencies. MEMS clock generators are MEMS timing devices with multiple outputs for systems that need more than a single reference frequency. MEMS oscillators are a valid alternative to older, more established quartz crystal oscillators, offering better resilience against vibration and mechanical shock, and reliability with respect to temperature variation.

So the helium causes physical interference by leaking into the housing?

Helium doesn't just kill apple devices, It kills anything with a MEMS oscillator. Helium atoms are so small that it's impossible to make a seal that completely blocks them.

Hmm.

That seems like it'd open a lot of potential abuses.

I wonder what the failure mode of various electronic locks is when they're exposed to helium?

If you are in a position where you can dump random gases into the air supply to the degree it impacts these devices then they are likely compromised in other ways as well.

I don't know about that. It seemed to have a pretty rapid impact on the phone in that video, and it's not like those are exactly open. And they weren't pressurizing it.

a very small percentage of helium will disable the phone

You don't necessarily need to put it into the air supply, could just bathe the specific device you want disabled in helium from a deodorant can or something

By Daniel Oberhaus October 30, 2018, 5:20pm

🀨

Yet both Android and Apple phones use MEMS silicon for their devices, so why were only Apple phones affected?

Glad I've got an Android since I could potentially work with liquid Hydrogen...

Wasn't this exact scenario posted to r/talesfromtechsupport a few years ago? It sounds very familiar

the fate worse than quenching.

and now I'm imagining Siri speaking in a very high-pitched voice.

...Yet both Android and Apple phones use MEMS silicon for their devices, so why were only Apple phones affected? The answer, it seems, is because Apple recently defected from traditional quartz-based clocks in its phones in favor of clocks that are also made of MEMS silicon.

So, they ask the question of why iPhones are the only ones affected if androids also went to MEMS, then answer it by saying that apple went to MEMS. Are they saying that the clocks in Androids still use quartz, but iPhones use MEMS clocks, even though they both use general MEMS silicon?

Edit, autocorrect

Are they saying that the clocks in Androids still use quartz, but iPhones use MEMS clocks, even though they both use general MEMS silicon?

Correct. MEMS technology is used in the accelerometers and gyros in the inertial measurement units (IMUs) that are in pretty much every smartphone. Apple decided to switch to using MEMS clocks, probably because it means that they can reduce part count slightly as it would mean that they can incorporate them on the same chip as the CPU or the like.