10 ms·

For what it’s worth, the FDA published a similar warning[1] earlier this year. I’m a little surprised the proliferation of random accessories (phone cases, head

For what it’s worth, the FDA published a similar warning[1] earlier this year. I’m a little surprised the proliferation of random accessories (phone cases, headphones, etc) with strong-ish neodymium magnets over the last few years hadn’t already raised an alarm. 1. https://www.fda.gov/radiation-emitting-products/cell-phones/magnets-cell-phones-and-smart-watches-may-affect-pacemakers-and-other-implanted-medical-devices https://www.fda.gov/radiation-emitting-products/cell-phones/...

oneplane 5y ago
Especially since magnets are used so widely in so many products you'd think that even some sort of test/certification/measurement that would happen anyway (RFI?) would also note that there is a strong field present. This stuff gets measured all the time, also for equipment that is to be used in aerospace and hospitals... the whole concept of devices interfering with each other isn't new. But apparently it's still overlooked when it's about consumer electronics as if those couldn't possible interfere/cause interference.
- xondono 5y ago
  > This stuff gets measured all the time, also for equipment that is to be used in aerospace and hospitals... They only measure dynamic magnetic fields (i.e. electromagnetic fields). There are essentially no regulatory limits in static fields, since they don't really interfere with RF signals. In fact, is amazingly easy to purchase neodymium magnets of a size that should not be that easily available, which explains the hilarious safety videos like this one[1] [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t8yDnyOaQ8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t8yDnyOaQ8
  - oneplane 5y ago
    Now that I read that, it seems obvious that static fields and RF wouldn't interact like that... Thanks! The video is very well done (for a semi-pro it seems?), it's one of those things where people (including me) might think "oh yeah magnets, I know about those" but you actually don't, or at last not at the scale that you might need. That reminds me of this LPL video about Gallium: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeghGhVdt9s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeghGhVdt9s where you might think: oh yeah, metals, those are sturdy blocks that you need to weld or saw.
- jaywalk 5y ago
  In this case, the magnet isn't really interfering with the ICD in the strictest sense of the word, because ICDs are deliberately designed to be disabled by magnets.
  - Johnythree 5y ago
    This. I find it unbelievable that a cheap keyfob can have better security than a thousand dollar piece of medical equipment.

oneplane 5y ago

Especially since magnets are used so widely in so many products you'd think that even some sort of test/certification/measurement that would happen anyway (RFI?) would also note that there is a strong field present. This stuff gets measured all the time, also for equipment that is to be used in aerospace and hospitals... the whole concept of devices interfering with each other isn't new. But apparently it's still overlooked when it's about consumer electronics as if those couldn't possible interfere/cause interference.

xondono 5y ago
> This stuff gets measured all the time, also for equipment that is to be used in aerospace and hospitals... They only measure dynamic magnetic fields (i.e. electromagnetic fields). There are essentially no regulatory limits in static fields, since they don't really interfere with RF signals. In fact, is amazingly easy to purchase neodymium magnets of a size that should not be that easily available, which explains the hilarious safety videos like this one[1] [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t8yDnyOaQ8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t8yDnyOaQ8
- oneplane 5y ago
  Now that I read that, it seems obvious that static fields and RF wouldn't interact like that... Thanks! The video is very well done (for a semi-pro it seems?), it's one of those things where people (including me) might think "oh yeah magnets, I know about those" but you actually don't, or at last not at the scale that you might need. That reminds me of this LPL video about Gallium: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeghGhVdt9s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeghGhVdt9s where you might think: oh yeah, metals, those are sturdy blocks that you need to weld or saw.
jaywalk 5y ago
In this case, the magnet isn't really interfering with the ICD in the strictest sense of the word, because ICDs are deliberately designed to be disabled by magnets.
- Johnythree 5y ago
  This. I find it unbelievable that a cheap keyfob can have better security than a thousand dollar piece of medical equipment.