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X-rays used to be very popular for shoe fitting. I strongly suspect that millimeter waves have similar long term health issues. And I don't see many getting na

X-rays used to be very popular for shoe fitting. I strongly suspect that millimeter waves have similar long term health issues. And I don't see many getting naked in front of a 3D video camera set-up.

nitrogen 14y ago
Millimeter waves are not ionizing, while the x-rays used by TSA backscatter machines and medical x-rays are.
- dredmorbius 14y ago
  The question isn't whether or not they're ionizing. The question is whether or not they have adverse biological actions.
  - noonespecial 14y ago
    Its highly likely that those are in fact the same question.
    - dredmorbius 14y ago
      Not when asked by me. http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=physiological+effects+of+non-ionizing+radiation&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ei=SqxGULLLN8OziQK7zoGQBw&ved=0CBkQgQMwAA http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=physiological+effects+of... My general sense: any health effects are likely to be weak at levels typically encountered, but I'm holding as plausible that thee may be some effects.
      - aortega 14y ago
        Microwave oven radio waves are non-ionizing 2.4 Ghz and I suspect they cause several health issues to any living organism exposed to them, even for a short time.
        lawnchair_larry 14y ago
        They aren't, unless you're in the oven. And that's different.
        dredmorbius 14y ago
        For some people, there's a risk on the outside as well. Pacemakers. Less so these days, but still. My understanding is that there's a possibility of creating induced current in the pacemaker. Which is to say, the non-ionizing radiation has an effect at a distance, albeit in a manufactured artifact, not (in this case) organic tissue.
        noonespecial 14y ago
        It is not the 2.4Ghz radiation that causes the trouble with pacemakers. Its the plain old magnetic field generated by the inductive inrush from the giant coils that convert the power to feed to the magnetron tube in the microwave. Any large inductive load poses the same risk.
        dredmorbius 14y ago
        I'm getting slightly different information. The best "how do Microwaves interfere with pacemakers" info I could find was from The Straight Dope, which indicated that it was actually microwave leakage, not the coils themselves, which induced the current. And I'm aware that among the reasons you don't nuke metallic objects is because of the charges induced. Another source showing effects of various EMR frequencies indicated that induced currents were among the effects of microwave and other longer-wave radiation. That said, other risks for pacemakers include store anti-theft devices, most of which are also inductive coils so far as I understand.
        dredmorbius 14y ago
        http://www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/understand/ionize_nonionize.html http://www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/understand/ionize_nonionize.html Effects of radiation chart showing induced current effect.
stcredzero 14y ago
One wouldn't have to be naked. With the right kind of camera and lighting, customers could also be wearing an opaque gown. (Some care would have to be taken to ensure that the software isn't tampered with.)

nitrogen 14y ago

Millimeter waves are not ionizing, while the x-rays used by TSA backscatter machines and medical x-rays are.

dredmorbius 14y ago
The question isn't whether or not they're ionizing. The question is whether or not they have adverse biological actions.
- noonespecial 14y ago
  Its highly likely that those are in fact the same question.
  - dredmorbius 14y ago
    Not when asked by me. http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=physiological+effects+of+non-ionizing+radiation&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ei=SqxGULLLN8OziQK7zoGQBw&ved=0CBkQgQMwAA http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=physiological+effects+of... My general sense: any health effects are likely to be weak at levels typically encountered, but I'm holding as plausible that thee may be some effects.
    - aortega 14y ago
      Microwave oven radio waves are non-ionizing 2.4 Ghz and I suspect they cause several health issues to any living organism exposed to them, even for a short time.
      - lawnchair_larry 14y ago
        They aren't, unless you're in the oven. And that's different.
        dredmorbius 14y ago
        For some people, there's a risk on the outside as well. Pacemakers. Less so these days, but still. My understanding is that there's a possibility of creating induced current in the pacemaker. Which is to say, the non-ionizing radiation has an effect at a distance, albeit in a manufactured artifact, not (in this case) organic tissue.
        noonespecial 14y ago
        It is not the 2.4Ghz radiation that causes the trouble with pacemakers. Its the plain old magnetic field generated by the inductive inrush from the giant coils that convert the power to feed to the magnetron tube in the microwave. Any large inductive load poses the same risk.
        dredmorbius 14y ago
        I'm getting slightly different information. The best "how do Microwaves interfere with pacemakers" info I could find was from The Straight Dope, which indicated that it was actually microwave leakage, not the coils themselves, which induced the current. And I'm aware that among the reasons you don't nuke metallic objects is because of the charges induced. Another source showing effects of various EMR frequencies indicated that induced currents were among the effects of microwave and other longer-wave radiation. That said, other risks for pacemakers include store anti-theft devices, most of which are also inductive coils so far as I understand.
        dredmorbius 14y ago
        http://www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/understand/ionize_nonionize.html http://www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/understand/ionize_nonionize.html Effects of radiation chart showing induced current effect.

stcredzero 14y ago

One wouldn't have to be naked. With the right kind of camera and lighting, customers could also be wearing an opaque gown. (Some care would have to be taken to ensure that the software isn't tampered with.)