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Could this be the reason why whenever I'm holding a chinese Wi-fi videoscope I bought, my hand starts to feel numb after a few minutes using it? It's not just

Could this be the reason why whenever I'm holding a chinese Wi-fi videoscope I bought, my hand starts to feel numb after a few minutes using it? It's not just that it heats up, I think it's a different feeling than say holding a hot coffee cup for a long time, and can't quite rule out it's just the battery that powers it either, or that I'm practically holding the wifi chip very close while it's transmitting. But come on, it's such a tiny device!

throwawayrf 4y ago
Before you reach for conclusions you should at least set up a double blind experiment. Set up 8 experiments 4 on and 4 off, have a friend either plug it in (or not) while you're in the other room and see if you can feel it when you go into the room.
- mickelsen 4y ago
  It's battery powered and you only feel this numbness while operating it, on the hand you are using it, not the rest of the body. It stops once you turn it off. My girlfriend also commented on the heat, but it doesn't travel a distance other than 2-3cm, so it may be just the heat the chip/battery generates. It also seems to be a common complaint among buyers: newer generations (like some Bebird devices) advertise a "non-heating chip" on Alibaba. Just commented in case anyone out there tried one of these devices, they are usually not SAR rated at all and don't seek to meet industry standards, plus Wi-fi is a bigger deal than Bluetooth, otherwise everyone would be complaining about their bluetooth in-ear headsets.
  - zalo 4y ago
    I've noticed Apple products can feel like they buzz when plugged in, but I assumed it was just the inverter and poor grounding... Do you think a multimeter or oscilloscope would be able to pick up the potential between the device and ground?
eurasiantiger 4y ago
It could also be that the device is radioactive. Always check your China gadgets with a Geiger counter, there can be some nasty surprises.
- throwanem 4y ago
  If it's radioactive enough for you to experience frank neurological effects after a few minutes holding on to it, a Geiger counter isn't going to help you nearly as much as an emergency room will.
- mickelsen 4y ago
  Some new age woo-woo amulets, charms and even sleeping masks have been recalled from Amazon precisely because of this, the metals they advertise as 'EMF protection' stuff are actually emitting ionizing radiation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BA5bw1EV5I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BA5bw1EV5I https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-59703523 https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-59703523 That youtube channel has the guy testing numerous objects with a geiger counter, it's esp. interesting when some 19th century tableware and other daily use objects used to contain this stuff in the past.

throwawayrf 4y ago

Before you reach for conclusions you should at least set up a double blind experiment. Set up 8 experiments 4 on and 4 off, have a friend either plug it in (or not) while you're in the other room and see if you can feel it when you go into the room.

mickelsen 4y ago
It's battery powered and you only feel this numbness while operating it, on the hand you are using it, not the rest of the body. It stops once you turn it off. My girlfriend also commented on the heat, but it doesn't travel a distance other than 2-3cm, so it may be just the heat the chip/battery generates. It also seems to be a common complaint among buyers: newer generations (like some Bebird devices) advertise a "non-heating chip" on Alibaba. Just commented in case anyone out there tried one of these devices, they are usually not SAR rated at all and don't seek to meet industry standards, plus Wi-fi is a bigger deal than Bluetooth, otherwise everyone would be complaining about their bluetooth in-ear headsets.
- zalo 4y ago
  I've noticed Apple products can feel like they buzz when plugged in, but I assumed it was just the inverter and poor grounding... Do you think a multimeter or oscilloscope would be able to pick up the potential between the device and ground?

eurasiantiger 4y ago

It could also be that the device is radioactive. Always check your China gadgets with a Geiger counter, there can be some nasty surprises.

throwanem 4y ago
If it's radioactive enough for you to experience frank neurological effects after a few minutes holding on to it, a Geiger counter isn't going to help you nearly as much as an emergency room will.
mickelsen 4y ago
Some new age woo-woo amulets, charms and even sleeping masks have been recalled from Amazon precisely because of this, the metals they advertise as 'EMF protection' stuff are actually emitting ionizing radiation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BA5bw1EV5I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BA5bw1EV5I https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-59703523 https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-59703523 That youtube channel has the guy testing numerous objects with a geiger counter, it's esp. interesting when some 19th century tableware and other daily use objects used to contain this stuff in the past.