5 Weird Gadgets You Can Plug Into Your Phone's USB Port

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The USB-C ports on modern Android phones and iPhones are pretty versatile. While many of us only use them for charging or connecting to our computers, they can do so much more. For example, you can use your Android phone's USB port to plug in an external storage drive or watch Netflix on your TV. Similarly, there are several useful USB-C accessories you can plug into your iPhone, like a keyboard or mouse. There is a whole wide world of helpful and interesting USB use cases ready to be explored.

However, besides the straightforward uses featuring common accessories and peripherals, there are several exciting and unconventional gadgets that you can also plug into your phone's USB port to enhance its feature set and do things that you probably never thought were possible with your phone. Here are five such weird gadgets that attach to your phone's USB port and either boost your smartphone experience or add a cool new ability.

Thermal imaging cameras are nifty little tools that are super useful whether you're a professional or DIY enthusiast. You can use them in building or electrical inspections, wildlife observations, and much more. However, if you don't want to carry around a dedicated thermal camera, you can get one that plugs into your phone and shows similar thermal imagery to what you would get with a dedicated thermal camera. There are a number of camera manufacturers, including Flir, Thermal Master, and Topdon, which offer thermal camera smartphone attachments.

Depending on the brand, camera resolution, and features, the USB-C thermal camera attachments can range from around $100 to over $500. For example, the Topdon TC002C Duo costs $340 and can deliver 256×192p thermal imaging. It can also read temperatures ranging from -4 degrees Fahrenheit to 1022 degrees Fahrenheit, which is enough for most use cases. Moreover, you can also use it with your Windows computer besides your phone. Unfortunately, Mac support is missing.

No one likes the itching sensation or pain caused by bug or insect bites. Fortunately, folks from Heat It have released a bug bite healer that you can attach to your phone and get instant relief from bites caused by mosquitoes, bees, wasps, and horseflies. Simply called a USB Insect Bite Healer, this nifty accessory claims to be medically proven. There is even a study conducted with around 1,750 participants to prove the healer's efficacy.

This USB Insect Bite Healer attaches to your phone's USB-C port and delivers concentrated heat to bug bites on your body for relief from itching and pain. There is an accompanying app to trigger the healer or adjust the temperature in case you plan to use it on kids or those who have sensitive skin. As it's pretty much the size of a small USB flash drive, it's easy to carry around and doesn't use too much power. The company claims you can administer up to 1,000 treatments per full smartphone charge.

Many of us have seen viral videos of people cleaning USB ports with various tools. While these videos may look satisfying, having your phone's USB port stuffed with unwanted elements is a real problem. One way to solve this issue is to get a smartphone case that comes with a built-in dust protection cap. However, such caps are typically limited to rugged cases, which can make your phone bulkier. Fortunately, there is an alternative called a USB dust or sand plug. 

These accessories plug into your phone's USB port and stop anything from getting in. These are not only helpful in daily life, but they can also come in handy on your beach trips — keeping sand from getting into the USB port. Although most dust plugs loosen up over time and become useless, these Anti-Loss USB-C Dust Plugs from a lesser-known brand feature an adhesive portion that sticks to your phone's back and keeps the plugs in place even when they become slightly loose. These are also priced reasonably at $6 for a 10-pack, which also includes port cleaning tools. 

Similar to thermal cameras, endoscopes are another imaging accessory that can be attached to a smartphone. It basically features a tiny camera and an LED light source on one end of a long, semi-rigid cable. The other end has a USB port that connects to your phone or tablet. These USB endoscope cameras are helpful in getting a real-time video feed of narrow and otherwise inaccessible areas, making them very useful. You can use these in the inspection of plumbing, vehicles, walls, and more.

USB endoscope cameras are reasonably priced, and you can get them starting from around $15. While some of these cameras can be used with any camera app that supports USB Video Class (UVC) functionality, others require a dedicated application. As a ground rule, it's best to stick with options that have the official app available in the Google Play Store. The $35 USB Endoscope Camera from Kinpthy is a popular and well-liked option on Amazon, and it features dual cameras, eight adjustable LED lights, and an IP67 water-resistant build. 

If you like using a lanyard with your phone, you'll certainly enjoy a lanyard cable. As the name suggests, this unconventional accessory is essentially a combination of a lanyard and a USB cable. The cable replaces the lanyard string in this setup and is readily available to you whenever you need it for charging or data transfer.  There are multiple lanyard cable options available on Amazon, but the Satechi OntheGo USB-C Lanyard Cable is a well-rated one from a reputable brand. It supports 60W fast charging and is rated for USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) data transfer speeds.

It can also function as a crossbody strap — something that's gaining popularity after Apple released an official iPhone 17 crossbody strap accessory. For a secure attachment, one part of the Satechi offering is placed inside the phone case, and the hook is passed through the charger cutout. The rest of it attaches to the hook with the help of a carabiner. The USB-C cable is braided for durability, and the connectors are protected with aluminum caps.