Prototype for a pair of anti-data pants. The pocket with the red button is lined with RF shielding fabric that prevents the phone from sending/receiving data. When the phone is inside the pocket, no personal data can be logged from the phone.

This is the first prototype of the Off Pocket concept. They are wearable and functional!. The pocket was sewn into my pants so I could wear them out and do some field testing. So far, it works well against iPhone3/4. Different phones may have different signal strengths though. And there’s a little problem that when the pocket is even slightly open around the button, a phone call can still come through. May need to add a zipper or fold-over flap in the next version.

Update (April 19, 2012)

The Off Pocket will be presented at Philly Tech Week on Saturday April 21. I made a second prototype, the Off Pouch, for testing at demo day.

How well do the pockets work? They are 100% effective. The signal is measured on an iPhone using the decible signal meter. The measurement yields absolute zero connectivity. It’s also been tested on Android phones. Here’s a screenshot of the iPhone app built to test signal strengths for various fabric combinations.