• iPods Don't Affect Pacemakers

    iPods Don't Affect Pacemakers

    Techtree News Staff, Feb 04, 2008 1650 hrs IST

    Basis their in-vitro study, the FDA concluded that there was no interference in pacemakers when exposed to any of the iPods that were deployed during the experiment.

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A study led by US-based Food and Drug Administration (FDA) claims that iPods do not meddle with the functioning of cardiac pacemakers when the two are in close proximity of each other.

The detailed study actually disproves results of an earlier study conducted at the Thoracic and Cardiovascular Institute at Michigan State University last year.

The former study had revealed that iPods can cause cardiac implantable pacemakers to malfunction by interfering with electromagnetic equipment used to monitor the heart.

Meanwhile, the new study is the result of widespread media reportage around the possible ill-effects of iPods and other media players.

During the course of the study, the researchers measured the magnetic fields produced by four different iPod models: a fourth-generation iPod, a video iPod, an iPod shuffle, and an iPod Nano. After which they measured voltages delivered inside a pacemaker by different magnetic fields.

The magnetic fields were measured using a three-coil sensor, up to distances of 5 to 10 mm from the iPods. Peak magnetic field strength was taken as 0.2 millionth of a Tesla, which itself is hundreds of times lower than levels that are anywhere capable of interfering with a pacemaker.

Basis their in-vitro study, the FDA concluded that there was no interference in pacemakers when exposed to any of the iPods that were deployed during the experiment.

Related:
Pacemaker Malfunction due to iPod?

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