Can You Take Your Finger Off The Self-Destruct Button?

In this article, you'll learn how to design a self-destructing mechanism, send a self-destructing message, and how to take your finger off the Self-Destruct button. But before you start designing your own mechanism, it's important to know why you're tempted to press the button in the first place. And what are the possible consequences of pressing the button?


How to send a self-destructing message
To make your self-destructing message, you first need to upload it onto the app. Once your message is uploaded, tap the "Show Advanced Options" button and choose the time you want it to disappear. You can also set a password for the note and send it via email. The message will have a link to it that recipients can visit to read the message and delete it. If you want to send a self-destructing message to multiple recipients, you can choose the 'Disappearing message' option.

To enable a self-destructing message on WhatsApp, you'll need to enable the option in the app's settings menu. On Android and iOS, you can choose "Secret Chats." Once you have chosen the recipient, set the timer you want the message or file to disappear. You can change this setting by selecting "Auto-destruct" or "Destruct after a set amount of time."

How to design a self-destruct mechanism
A self-destruct mechanism would have a temperature range from 80 to 250 degrees Celsius to trigger the self-destruct sequence. The polymer layer contains a liquid hydrocarbon which, when heated to a critical temperature, softens the thermoplastic shells of the microspheres, causing the liquid to be released. The liquid hydrocarbon then undergoes a phase change, converting to gas. When heated beyond the critical temperature, the polymer layer expands rapidly, releasing the liquid hydrocarbon. The researchers tested their mechanism by incorporating geo-fencing in the device and triggering the sequence when someone tried to crack the outer shell. Their research shows that the self-destruct mechanism works best when destroying specific components, such as memory chips or power sources, and can be easily retrofitted onto existing computers. The overall cost of the security mechanism

The DARPA program has examined the possibility of encapsulating the components of the device in tiny etchant liquids that dissolve the device. The John Rogers lab also investigated the use of chemical chip dissolution, but it is far slower than polymer dissolution. However, the need for self-destruct mechanisms will only increase in the future, making such a self-destruct mechanism a welcome addition.