An article, comprising: a device body having an outer surface; a cover substrate having inner and outer major surfaces spaced apart from one another, the inner major surface being disposed toward and covering at least a portion of the outer surface of the device body; and an intermediate layer disposed between the outer surface of the device body and the cover substrate, characterised in that the intermediate layer operates to absorb a majority of kinetic energy produced from a dynamic sharp impact to the outer major surface of the cover substrate and to thereby mitigate damage to the cover substrate and the device body, and in that at least one of: the intermediate layer comprises hollow, crushable spheres in a polymeric binder, wherein a volume fraction of the hollow, crushable spheres is between 25 - 75% of a total volume of the hollow, crushable spheres and the polymeric binder; the intermediate layer comprises compressible, hollow spheres in a resin, wherein a volume fraction of the compressible, hollow spheres is between 25 - 90% of a total volume of the compressible, hollow spheres and the resin; and the intermediate layer comprises compressible solid spheres in a binder, wherein a volume fraction of the compressible solid spheres is between 25 - 75% of a total volume of the compressible solid spheres and the binder. a device body having an outer surface; a cover substrate having inner and outer major surfaces spaced apart from one another, the inner major surface being disposed toward and covering at least a portion of the outer surface of the device body; and an intermediate layer disposed between the outer surface of the device body and the cover substrate, characterised in that the intermediate layer operates to absorb a majority of kinetic energy produced from a dynamic sharp impact to the outer major surface of the cover substrate and to thereby mitigate damage to the cover substrate and the device body, and in that at least one of: the intermediate layer comprises hollow, crushable spheres in a polymeric binder, wherein a volume fraction of the hollow, crushable spheres is between 25 - 75% of a total volume of the hollow, crushable spheres and the polymeric binder; the intermediate layer comprises compressible, hollow spheres in a resin, wherein a volume fraction of the compressible, hollow spheres is between 25 - 90% of a total volume of the compressible, hollow spheres and the resin; and the intermediate layer comprises compressible solid spheres in a binder, wherein a volume fraction of the compressible solid spheres is between 25 - 75% of a total volume of the compressible solid spheres and the binder. the intermediate layer comprises hollow, crushable spheres in a polymeric binder, wherein a volume fraction of the hollow, crushable spheres is between 25 - 75% of a total volume of the hollow, crushable spheres and the polymeric binder; the intermediate layer comprises compressible, hollow spheres in a resin, wherein a volume fraction of the compressible, hollow spheres is between 25 - 90% of a total volume of the compressible, hollow spheres and the resin; and the intermediate layer comprises compressible solid spheres in a binder, wherein a volume fraction of the compressible solid spheres is between 25 - 75% of a total volume of the compressible solid spheres and the binder.