Motorola has been known for making screens that are shatter-resistant and the company wants to go even further to assist their users in dealing with cracked screens. Their latest venture was spotted by Engadget, as Motorola applied for a patent on a phone screen that has the ability to repair itself if shattered. The phone's screen has a shape memory polymer that heals damage when subjected to rapid changes in heat. 

© Motorola

The patent suggests that the phone could produce the heat to start the repairing process. Motorola wants to develop an app that will signal the phone where repairs are needed. One can even use body heat or a dock as an alternate source of heat to kickstart the process. 

© Motorola

The patent might be a sign of relief for people who are extra clumsy with their phones and tend to smash them on a regular basis. One should note that this is just a patent application at the moment and it does not mean that we might see this feature on Motorola's products anytime soon. The main drawback of this technology is quite apparent as a polymer screen will not feel as nice as traditional glass displays. 

© Motorola

The process described in the patent shows that it will take a while for the phone to repair itself I.e. overnight while the phone is on a dock. The phone will have the necessary heat required to repair the screen without sacrificing any battery.  This process will still not repair a completely shattered screen though. However, it may be able to repair minor scratches and cuts.