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.
In this case, the leaking helium from the MRI machine infiltrated the iPhones like a “tiny grain of sand” and caused the MEMS clocks to go haywire.
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?
Yup. Helium is such a tiny thing it can diffuse through almost anything, and in MEMS oscillators which are supposed to be at a rock solid 32kHz, causes variance in the frequency eventually just “gumming” it up entirely and causing it to stop working.
Yup. Most of the mems devices will essentially shut down the device if they go out of tolerance. This is a pretty common-knowledge fact among folks who work with large magnets, or with helium or hydrogen gas.
Funnily enough, it also happens with equipment microcontrollers which are unlikely to have a MEMS unit in them – for instance, any benchtop centrifuge made after the mid-90s will shut down, and I’m pretty sure those are still on quartz clocks. It also effects things like on-chip thermometers.
…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?
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.
Can’t speak for MEMS specifically, but it absolutely can make chips shut down whole instruments by changing their properties. It intercalates slower, but has much the same effect once it’s in there.
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.
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.
Helium is tiny, and will diffuse though pretty much anything other than continuous welded metal pipe very very quickly. The elastomer seals on a phone would slow it down slightly, but the article’s from 2018, before so many phones were watertight. I remember my old iPhone had a little piezo cooling fan in one of the grates on the bottom, so helium would have no trouble at all.
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
If y9ou are close enough to a system of importance that you can spray it, you are close enough to compromise it in countless other ways.
This is just one of many physical access attacks. Just like “you could take a hammer to it”
Like, I know people want to think this is some Ocean’s Eleven heist waiting to happen. It isn’t. This is only viable if you can drench an area with helium (which means you can already gas everyone you care about) or you have such close physical access that there are so many other things you could do. At best it is an episode of Burn Notice where Michael has to rapidly improvise an escape where his CIA handler of the week already refused to give him something much more useful.
Well that’s not true. It’s just a real bitch. As a welder, helium leak check is about the toughest damn QC to pass. Most welding QC has some reasonable margin for error during inspection, but the damn helium doesn’t care. You can have a beautiful weld with a tiny imperfection at the start or end and it’ll piss helium just as badly as an entirely scuffed bead.
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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microelectromechanical_system_oscillator
Interesting
So the helium causes physical interference by leaking into the housing?
Yup. Helium is such a tiny thing it can diffuse through almost anything, and in MEMS oscillators which are supposed to be at a rock solid 32kHz, causes variance in the frequency eventually just “gumming” it up entirely and causing it to stop working.
If you want to know how and why, Applied Science did a video on it. Five years ago. Because that’s when this leak happened.
Yup. Most of the mems devices will essentially shut down the device if they go out of tolerance. This is a pretty common-knowledge fact among folks who work with large magnets, or with helium or hydrogen gas.
Funnily enough, it also happens with equipment microcontrollers which are unlikely to have a MEMS unit in them – for instance, any benchtop centrifuge made after the mid-90s will shut down, and I’m pretty sure those are still on quartz clocks. It also effects things like on-chip thermometers.
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
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.
Gotcha. Ok. This article makes a whole lot more sense now. Thank you!!
You’re very welcome!
🤨
Glad I’ve got an Android since I could potentially work with liquid Hydrogen…
This says that hydrogen isn’t just a problem, just helium:
https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/669763/why-is-a-mems-device-affected-by-helium-but-not-hydrogen
Oh derp
Can’t speak for MEMS specifically, but it absolutely can make chips shut down whole instruments by changing their properties. It intercalates slower, but has much the same effect once it’s in there.
the fate worse than quenching.
and now I’m imagining Siri speaking in a very high-pitched voice.
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.
Helium is tiny, and will diffuse though pretty much anything other than continuous welded metal pipe very very quickly. The elastomer seals on a phone would slow it down slightly, but the article’s from 2018, before so many phones were watertight. I remember my old iPhone had a little piezo cooling fan in one of the grates on the bottom, so helium would have no trouble at all.
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
Is helium used in deodorants these days?
Not that I know of, I meant it could be put in a pressurised spray bottle, for example a deodorant can
If you are close enough to spray a device you are close enough to just steal it. Or spray the owner.
If it’s bolted to a wall and unattended neither of those things are an option
If y9ou are close enough to a system of importance that you can spray it, you are close enough to compromise it in countless other ways.
This is just one of many physical access attacks. Just like “you could take a hammer to it”
Like, I know people want to think this is some Ocean’s Eleven heist waiting to happen. It isn’t. This is only viable if you can drench an area with helium (which means you can already gas everyone you care about) or you have such close physical access that there are so many other things you could do. At best it is an episode of Burn Notice where Michael has to rapidly improvise an escape where his CIA handler of the week already refused to give him something much more useful.
Just because you can take a hammer to it doesn’t mean that’s the best solution
In the right situation I imagine it could be a useful tool, much more subtle than just smashing the thing, less time consuming than taking it apart
a very small percentage of helium will disable the phone
Lock picking lawyer gonna have to get on this
Well that’s not true. It’s just a real bitch. As a welder, helium leak check is about the toughest damn QC to pass. Most welding QC has some reasonable margin for error during inspection, but the damn helium doesn’t care. You can have a beautiful weld with a tiny imperfection at the start or end and it’ll piss helium just as badly as an entirely scuffed bead.
Wasn’t this exact scenario posted to r/talesfromtechsupport a few years ago? It sounds very familiar
This article is from 2018.