Barbara, there is no dilemma. At this point in time, the idea that radiation from electronic devices causes health issues is as true as the subject of this post. The author of this piece pointed out studies done in five developed nations that indicate no effect whatsoever. The very idea of a connection is a kind of urban legend, something that sounds like it makes sense for example: deodorant causes cancer in your armpits, radar speed guns cause testicular cancer and jumping up and down after sex will prevent pregnancy, all of which have been disproven. The idea, in this case, sounds so reasonable that study after study has been done trying to find any link and, so far, nothing. Yet, despite repeatedly being disproven, we still want to believe.
I and thousands like me have spent 20+ years at a bench hunched over an electronic device. In my case relatively high powered switching power supplies. Outside of their shielded enclosures without the benefit of input/output shielding and without radiated emissions fixes those supplies generate incredibly high levels of electromagnetic radiation. Before that, years with high power down hole pulse power supplies that, outside of their steel tubular cases, transmitted electromagnet pulses so powerful any scope within a half mile was useless. Yet, despite long years of exposure to levels of electromagnet radiation no person with a cell phone will ever experience in their lifetime I, and others like me, have no unusual health issues. Again, research shows that even people that work in that kind of environment show no increase in health problems. Is the radiation actually helpful? Hey, let's start that urban legend.
There was a time when patients at the hospital were warmed with microwave beds. Yes, microwaving a person warms the body as you would expect. Did they stop using them because of serious health effects? No, we stopped using them because the eyes and brains would sometimes be overheated because of the fluids in those structures and damage would result. That damage arising from the hot fluids, not from cancer.
Cryptoman, what a fantastic idea! Just as people are convinced that wearing a copper bracelet will cure disease they will also believe shielded clothing will save them from the ravages of electromagnetic radiation. There is a fortune to be made! And better still, even though shielded clothing won't help your health it will actually shield the wearer from the evil radiation (making me feel like less of an ass for selling it to them).
Reading some of these posts I am reminded of the time when microwave ovens were made available to the public. In particular I recall reports of people working at McDonald's (an early adopter of microwave ovens) were having their hands turn black and their fingers falling off. Makes sense, those ovens had microwaves in them!
@Jaden - Yes, speakerphone achieves the same objective, and as look as it functions well on your phone, that can be a lot more comfortable than some headsets. Sometimes the sound quality is better using a good headset.
I used to have headache whenever I'm on mobile phone for long, later I realised that by limiting the duartion of mobile telephone calls expecially when the reception is good, or using of handsfree or speaker options doesn't give headache.
Actually there is no clear evidence in the existing scientific literature that the use of mobile telephones poses a long-term public health hazard, altgough the possibility of a small risk cannot be ruled out.
We have reached a point in communications and electronics from which is difficult to go back. In fact, the only way is to go forward, and fix and improve anything that can be improved, like EMR in our devices, for example.
I believe that creating chaos and panic doesn't senve anyone. We can't live in fear for something that has not really been proved and certified by serious researchers. Reserach is the source I trust, and still I have to sumbit it to my own thinking. What I definitely don't trust in these cases is those alarming headlines we frequently see.
And yes, keeping an eye open is a good idea, just in case. :)
damage we might be doing to cell phones? Maybe our salty sweat is creeping into the phones and killing them slowly. Maybe our breath is making the battery change polarity. Who knows what's in that ear?
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
Archived Dialogues
Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
While no one really can accurately predict the future, we can take guidance from another Drucker saying which is the best way to predict the future is to create it.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
Where are these people? Are universities properly preparing the next generation supply chain professionals? How do train your existing workforce for these new, demanding positions?
Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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