Sharks have skin that has thousands of tiny protrusions that act like spikes or barbs allowing easy passage on one direction but much more difficult passage other way.

I propose to make the wire on earphones out of an artificial material with the same properties. This will neatly sidestep the problem of your earphones being pulled out because they would hook into your garments downward and slide upwards easily putting slight upward pressure on the wire, hopefully roughly equal to the weight.
-- bs0u0155, Nov 02 2007

Am I the only one who doesn't get this? What is the barb orientation? Up or down?

Suppose the iPod is in your pocket. The cord, in a barbs-up orientation, would eventually tighten the slack between your head and the pocket by constantly snagging on your pocket as you walk. Which is yuck-o. In barbs-down position, of course, the plug would come out on first snagging. Where's the benefit?
-- globaltourniquet, Nov 02 2007


The barbs are not going to be particularly savage, just enough to provide a general upward force to counteract the weight slightly. Hopefully to keep a little slack at the top so they don't keep pulling out of your ears.
-- bs0u0155, Nov 05 2007



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