It’s happened to a lot of us. The terrifying splash when a cell phone and puddle meet. For some, it’s an excuse to upgrade, for others it’s an expensive and time-consuming annoyance. But for nearly everyone, it means another junked gadget.

That’s why JMC Risk Solutions‘ ‘Dryer Boxes’ are intriguing devices. As the name suggests, waterlogged phones are placed into the oven-like device. Fast forward half an hour, and a dry and hopefully functional handset emerges. The cost for the drying session: $12 (no charge if the process fails). How it accomplishes this is hush-hush (until someone takes one apart).

Currently, Dryer Boxes are popping up in some Yodobashi Camera shops in Tokyo, but if it helps consumers extend the life of their mobile devices, save them some cash and stem the tide of e-waste, I wouldn’t mind seeing them pop up on our shores.

Source: Gizmag [via Gizmodo]