Research team at the University of Basel, Switzerland claims that Apple AirPods Pro charging case, Pencil 2nd Generation and the Microsoft Surface Pen have powerful magnetic fields that can interfere with life-saving heart devices and potentially stop implanted cardiac devices from working. As per the team they want the public to be aware of the potential risks of portable electronic devices and the team emphasises that any electrical device which contains a magnet could theoretically pose a danger to patients who rely on implanted cardiac devices to jolt their heart back into rhythm.
The study is published in the journal of the American Heart Association and it shows that the Apple products could not be placed closer than 2 cm or 0.78 inches without interfering with implanted cardiac devices (ICDs). But the Microsoft product which costs 70 pounds could not be within 2.9cm or 1.1 inches. The team has thus advised patients fitted with the pacemaker-like devices to not keep electronics in pockets near their chest and in general these electronic gadgets should not be carried in one’s shirt or jacket pocket in front of the chest, also when one is lying down on the couch and resting he or she should not place the device on the chest.
As per American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines, all mobiles should be kept at least 15 centimeters away from pacemakers to minimise the risks. Microsoft recommends its customers to keep the device at least 15 cm of 6 inches away from ICDs and pacemakers.
SOURCE: BUSINESS STANDARD
