Airpods and radiation exposure

[glenohumeral]

Kinda worried about airpods and radiation effect it will have on my body

 

[Phone Junky]

I'm old. I don't care.

 

[p8blr]

It can't be any worse than the array of antennas in the rectangle you keep in your pants.

 

[raqball]

Don't wear them around a leaky Russian nuclear reactor???

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Versus the other radiation that is going through us daily? People have been putting BT devices. among other radio wave gadgets on their heads for years. I suspect if there was an epidemic we'd have heard about it in the form of law suits or nanny activists successfully banning them.

Honestly, if you have earbuds in your ears more than a hour or so daily I'd be more concerned about the effect on hearing. That is something that long term headphone use at decent volume has proven to damage.

 

[iamMacPerson]

All of the radiation these products produce are non-ionizing aka non-cancerous.

 

[asleep]

No, Apple's new AirPods won't give you cancer, experts say
LATimes/Science Now

Technology analysts have been calling Apple’s decision to eliminate the earphone jack on its new iPhone 7 a risky business move. But some potential users of the new smartphone wonder whether the company is asking them to take on some health risk as well.

Unless iPhone 7 users adopt a workaround that would let them plug their earphones into the device’s charging jack, they will need to don wireless headphones or earpieces. But is it safe to put a radiation-emitting earphone device directly in contact with one’s head?

The answer, say researchers who have studied the subject, is almost certainly yes. You can damage your hearing by listening to music too loudly or get injured by walking inattentively into traffic, just as you could while wearing traditional earbuds. But using a cordless headset will not increase your risk of developing cancer, experts say.

Apple’s new AirPods connect to the iPhone 7 via Bluetooth, a technology that makes it possible to transmit data over radio transmissions. The frequency on which Bluetooth devices operate is not very different from those used by mobile phones or WiFi service, so “biologically, it’s not a new form of exposure,” said John E. Moulder, a radiation biologist and professor emeritus at the Medical College of Wisconsin who has examined the health effects of using wireless devices.

Since a Bluetooth gadget communicates with a cellular device just a few feet away and not to a distant base station, “it’s transmitting at quite a low power level,” said University of Pennsylvania bioengineering professor Kenneth Foster. Other Bluetooth wireless headsets sold by Apple have an output of 10-18 milliwatts, and because they transmit in short, quick bursts, less than 1% of that energy is in the form of electromagnetic radiation, he said.

Wearable fitness devices, which also transmit bursts of data over short distances, emit similar levels of electromagnetic radiation, Foster said. He added that manufacturers have an interest in keeping their power emissions low, because making them more powerful would only reduce their battery life, already a touchy issue with users.

The unplugged user’s exposure to electromagnetic radiation “is absolutely minimal — smaller by a huge amount than the exposure of putting a phone to your ear,” Foster said.

However, if the lack of a headphone jack causes people to go old-school and hold the iPhone 7 up to their heads, they’ll wind up increasing their exposure to electromagnetic radiation — and with it, their risk of adverse health effects.

In 2011, the World Health Organization declared electromagnetic radiation emitted by mobile devices a “possible carcinogen.” Extensive efforts to nail down those risks, however, have proven inconclusive so far. The preliminary findings of a U.S. government-funded study, released in May, suggested that male rats exposed to high levels of radiation like that emitted by mobile devices are at greater risk of developing cancers of the brain and the heart. But that study met with widespread criticism.

Moulder said that at its highest dose, the electromagnetic radiation exposure received by rats in the U.S. National Toxicology Program study “was 50 to 100 times what you would get from using a mobile phone, and they were exposed 18 hours a day for two years” — essentially their whole lives, starting before birth.

By comparison, the additional exposure to electromagnetic radiation delivered by a wireless headphone device was "probably about a thousand times lower,” he said.

Still, in light of the uncertainty, many mobile phone users have changed their habits, holding their devices farther from their bodies and using earbuds or headphones with wires to listen to music and carry on phone conversations. Other practices, including the rise of texting, have reduced the electromagnetic exposure many people get from smartphones, which can emit several hundred milliwatts of electromagnetic radiation when operating at peak power.

These days, our exposure to electromagnetic radiation has largely come from WiFi networks and the combined transmissions of cellphone users around us, Moulder said.

UCLA epidemiologist Leeka I. Kheifets said a renewed focus on developing convenient wireless headphones might also drive more people to use them. That would be “a positive development” if it draws people away from putting a powerful phone to their ears, she said.

“We haven’t done all we need to do in terms of looking at this technology’s health effects and we need to do more,” Kheifets said. “It’s worth it to be cautious, and part of being cautious is to use some kind of earpiece. And exposure from the Bluetooth device would be very, very low.”

Finally, a 2012 study in the Journal of Laryngology and Otology should allay fears that Bluetooth’s electromagnetic radiation can damage hearing. In a pilot study that exposed 30 adult volunteers to a wireless headset for six hours on a “standby setting” and on full power for 10 minutes, researchers at Kuala Lumpur’s University of Malaya found no change in subjects’ ability to hear pure tones or detect distortions of otoacoustic emissions.

 

[daijholt]

People don't seem to understand the laws of physics these days. The more radioactivity human tissue is exposed to, the quicker it deteriorates. Radioactivity operates in different levels. Nuclear reactors emit extremely high levels, thus the death if you stand next to one as it melts down. Radio devices like phones, bluetooth headphones and other such devices emit almost imperceptibly low levels of radiation, meaning in order for these to emit a high enough level of radiation to damage tissue, you'd need hundreds of thousands of these devices, all powered on, in a single pile, with radios at full use, and then you'd need to stand next to it for weeks on end (and even that may be underestimating).

Think of how many wireless signals you're exposed to everyday. Wifi has a range of dozens of meters and is on every corner, other bluetooth devices can reach up to 20-30 meters and comes in nearly every mobile device. Every person you meet has a phone emitting a signal. Cell towers operates 24 hours a day 7 days a week. There's radiation from the sun and from space too. If there were a genuine risk from the devices we've built we'd all be dying horribly right now.

The laws of physics are the laws of physics, you can't just will them away.

 

[clauzzz203]

Kinda worried about airpods and radiation effect it will have on my body

Open settings on your phone, go to bluetooth. Count the devices found. They are iradiating you as I type.

Plus 4G.
Plus Wifi.
Plus GPS.
Plus radar.
Plus wireless charging.

You could hold off from Airpods.. You'll live one hour longer

 

[glenohumeral]

non-ionizing = does not mean it's non cancerous just less dangerous = disrupts blood brain barrier

No, Apple's new AirPods won't give you cancer, experts say = Drs. paid by the wireless industry

I always keep my phone away from me and use speakerphone

 

[CharlesShaw]

I always keep my phone away from me and use speakerphone

Then you're not planning to use AirPods, so don't worry about their radiation. Right?

 

[trifid]

Some people think Apple will introduce wireless charging soon, the type where it covers an entire room. If that's true it'll be the perfect cocktail of cancer-inducing air waves!

 

[Lucifer666]

It's a concern. But put it into perspective.

The power is very low, and the frequency of the W1 and Bluetooth transmission are around the microwave range. Now, microwaves are not like nuclear radiation, but can cause burns at high levels (ovens ). But a microwave oven is what 500W? these are like 1 watt or something like that; VERY low power. Now take in to consideration the absolute inundation of microwave radiation all around you at about the same power level.

The real danger of radiation is the SUN. The Sun will absolutely kill you. Even extremely limited exposure is doing permanent damage. Just THINKING about the sun is unsafe.

Feel beter?

But to the tin foil hat crowd: Yes they will give you cancer. I'm certain, it's proven by 'scientists' all around. Huge cancers, slowly growing in your brain, making you even more paranoid (if that's possible), until your left a gibbering lunatic.

 

[Korican100]

People don't seem to understand the laws of physics these days. The more radioactivity human tissue is exposed to, the quicker it deteriorates. Radioactivity operates in different levels. Nuclear reactors emit extremely high levels, thus the death if you stand next to one as it melts down. Radio devices like phones, bluetooth headphones and other such devices emit almost imperceptibly low levels of radiation, meaning in order for these to emit a high enough level of radiation to damage tissue, you'd need hundreds of thousands of these devices, all powered on, in a single pile, with radios at full use, and then you'd need to stand next to it for weeks on end (and even that may be underestimating).

Think of how many wireless signals you're exposed to everyday. Wifi has a range of dozens of meters and is on every corner, other bluetooth devices can reach up to 20-30 meters and comes in nearly every mobile device. Every person you meet has a phone emitting a signal. Cell towers operates 24 hours a day 7 days a week. There's radiation from the sun and from space too. If there were a genuine risk from the devices we've built we'd all be dying horribly right now.

The laws of physics are the laws of physics, you can't just will them away.

Exactly. Just like lightbulbs emit more radiation than wi-fi. We would have long seen ill effects of lightbulb radiation poisoning. I think we will be ok.

 

[tivoboy]

The Bluetooth energy is very low power energy compared to anything else the phone does.

Technically you're not ACTUALLY supposed to hold the phone up,to your head. It actually says that in the manual from Apple that is should be at least 5/8 inch away fro. You head when using. So go figure. I wonder if ther is any such disclaimer buried in the airpods manual

 

[glenohumeral]

It's a concern. But put it into perspective.

The power is very low, and the frequency of the W1 and Bluetooth transmission are around the microwave range. Now, microwaves are not like nuclear radiation, but can cause burns at high levels (ovens ). But a microwave oven is what 500W? these are like 1 watt or something like that; VERY low power. Now take in to consideration the absolute inundation of microwave radiation all around you at about the same power level.

The real danger of radiation is the SUN. The Sun will absolutely kill you. Even extremely limited exposure is doing permanent damage. Just THINKING about the sun is unsafe.

Feel beter?

But to the tin foil hat crowd: Yes they will give you cancer. I'm certain, it's proven by 'scientists' all around. Huge cancers, slowly growing in your brain, making you even more paranoid (if that's possible), until your left a gibbering lunatic.

You gotta remember the inverse square law of physics with any kind of electromagnetic radiation.. 1/ r^2

microwave and light bulb MAY emit more absolute amount of radiation but you rarely have people stuck their heads next to those devices for a long time...

wireless headphone like airpods pose more risk just because by the nature of design..you cannot use it unless you have it close to your head.

 

[Lucifer666]

You gotta remember the inverse square law of physics with any kind of electromagnetic radiation.. 1/ r^2

microwave and light bulb MAY emit more absolute amount of radiation but you rarely have people stuck their heads next to those devices for a long time...

wireless headphone like airpods pose more risk just because by the nature of design..you cannot use it unless you have it close to your head.

Still the power is so low.

But the thing is this: If it was bad for you, you would get burned. This frequency will cook, not poison. So, in other words, it's not like Madam Curie when she exposed to the radiation smiling for photos, and then... You would know right away. Your skin would turn red and you would feel skin issues.
But there's the idea that if it's microwave, then it would cook like microwave and cook from the inside
(you know, the water molecules). But your skin would get if first. And the inverse law should clearly demonstrate this. All the power would get your skin.

Bottom line, it's not dangerous if there's no skin irritation, which is easily monitored.

 

[glenohumeral]

Still the power is so low.

But the thing is this: If it was bad for you, you would get burned. This frequency will cook, not poison. So, in other words, it's not like Madam Curie when she exposed to the radiation smiling for photos, and then... You would know right away. Your skin would turn red and you would feel skin issues.
But there's the idea that if it's microwave, then it would cook like microwave and cook from the inside
(you know, the water molecules). But your skin would get if first. And the inverse law should clearly demonstrate this. All the power would get your skin.

Bottom line, it's not dangerous if there's no skin irritation, which is easily monitored.

Your skin cell and neurons are not the same thing..

Just because your skin doesn't manifest any kind of reaction to radiation doesn't mean there is no insult applied to the brain because their tolerance to the outside force is different.

 

[Ralfi]

Just turn the radiation level down in Settings.

Really wish Apple would add this setting to the Control Center.

 

[Macalway]

Your skin cell and neurons are not the same thing..

Just because your skin doesn't manifest any kind of reaction to radiation doesn't mean there is no insult applied to the brain because their tolerance to the outside force is different.

The night is dark, and full of terrors.

 

[Kevin.Richards]

Just wish if we had such settings but that would mean that it'll give us cancer. But being exposed to such radiations people are still well.

 

[jcmoney10]

While I must admit that there is a part of me that worries about the potential of long term cellphone/Bluetooth use being harmful(the tech hasn't been around long enough to get a true sample size), I personally lean towards the idea that it's safe.

I read this study a couple weeks ago that took a look at the brain cancer trends over a 14 year period. What they found was that there was no real evidence that the amount of brain cancer cases had increased since the invention/mainstream use of cellphones.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/20639214/

Furthermore, we've been putting radiation devices up to our heads since the early 80s. People don't realize that cordless home phones also used radio waves to connect to the phone's base station located in the house. Depending on the type of cordless phone you had, these radio waves could be stronger than some cellphones today. So in short, we've been exposing our brains to close range radiation for 30+ years without any real evidence that it's actually caused cancer.

 

[ZeChild]

Missing the real danger

 

[SoCalAppleWatch]

I swear to god these forums literally melt my brain cells on a daily basis. Good thing I only check twice a year to get a laugh in at all the yellow screen or .00001mm scuff panic attacks.

 

[glenohumeral]

I swear to god these forums literally melt my brain cells on a daily basis. Good thing I only check twice a year to get a laugh in at all the yellow screen or .00001mm scuff panic attacks.

lol tell me when you get a brain CT in a few decades

WHO categorized cellphone as possibly carcinogenic....now we can easily mitigate its effect by putting some distance between you and the cellphone but you can't do that with "headphones" by the virtue of its design..

please don't put this to the same level as those complaining for yellow tint screen/ QC issue.

we don't know what we don't know is all I'm saying.