

- #Radiation from cell phone vs wifi vs bluetooth pdf#
- #Radiation from cell phone vs wifi vs bluetooth Bluetooth#
#Radiation from cell phone vs wifi vs bluetooth Bluetooth#
But because the distances traveled by WiFi and Bluetooth signals tend to be much shorter (between your router and your laptop, for instance, or your smartphone and your wireless speaker) the RF can be transmitted at a much lower power than from a cell phone, which could reduce the effect it has on living tissue. The radiation from Bluetooth and WiFi devices falls into the same basic range on the electromagnetic spectrum-between FM radios and microwave ovens-as the RF waves from cell phones. When you make a call, text, or use data, your phone sends and receives RF signals back and forth between its antenna and nearby cell towers. Here’s why, according to Kheifets and other experts we spoke with. Those factors do provide some reasons to think that WiFi and Bluetooth devices may be less of a concern, says Leeka Kheifets, Ph.D., a professor of epidemiology at the UCLA School of Public Health who has studied the potential health effects of low-level radiation. The research into the RF signals used with WiFi is even more preliminary, focused on lab and animal studies, making it even more difficult to reach firm conclusions about their safety or risk.īut researchers can make some judgments about the potential for harm based on how WiFi and similar technologies work, as well as on how people tend to use their devices. These human studies have tried to see whether heavy users of cell phones have higher rates of brain cancers and other health problems compared with people who use cell phones less often.Īll that research- in test tubes, animals, and humans-has been mixed, with no definitive proof that cell-phone radiation harms human health, but also unable to completely clear it of any potential risk. When it comes to cell phones, scientists have looked at findings from animal research and cells in test tubes exposed to RF radiation in a lab, as well as observational studies in humans.

Just how worrisome the effects are is a matter of considerable and ongoing debate. That means unlike ionizing radiation-from, say, ultraviolet light from the sun, medical tests such as CT scans or X-rays, or nuclear explosions-they don’t carry enough energy to directly break or alter your DNA, which is one way cancer can occur.īut some research suggests that nonionizing radiation can have measurable effects on living organisms. The RF signals from cell phones, as well as Bluetooth and WiFi, are considered nonionizing forms of radiation. To find out, we talked with experts about what they thought about radiation from these sorts of devices, and to see whether there are any steps that people who may be concerned can take to reduce their risk. And any WiFi-connected smart devices in your home also receive and transmit data using this type of energy. Smartwatches use RF to connect to your phone. Bluetooth headphones and speakers also rely on RF signals to play music. Like cell phones, routers use radio frequency (RF) energy-a form of electromagnetic radiation-to bring wireless internet to your computer, TV, and other devices. That includes how relevant the findings are to newer wireless technologies such as Bluetooth and WiFi that have become widespread since the study was designed in the early 2000s. But that research- a 10-year, $25 million government study in rodents-left a lot of key questions unanswered.

This is a major concern if you are driving a car or participating in other activities that require close attention.Recent research has resurfaced concerns among scientists about a potential link between cell-phone radiation and cancer. If you use wearable devices, it could be a source of distraction and raise a number of safety and other issues unrelated to RF radiation exposure.
#Radiation from cell phone vs wifi vs bluetooth pdf#
Wearable devices expose the user to small amounts of RF radiation compared to these international exposure limits pdf icon external icon. While the FCC guidelines were adopted in 1996, they are similar to international guidelines that are presently in effect in many other countries. These limits are designed to reduce exposure to RF radiation.įor more information on FCC regulations around RF radiation, click here external icon To be sold in the U.S., equipment that transmits RF radiation must meet exposure limits set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). As a result, wearable devices expose the user to very small levels of RF radiation over time.įor more information on non-ionizing radiation and possible health effects, click here How much RF radiation am I exposed to? RF transmitters in wearable devices operate at extremely low power levels and normally send signals in streams or brief bursts (pulses) for a short period of time. RF radiation is a form of non-ionizing radiation made up of radiowaves.įor more information on non-ionizing radiation, click here RF transmitters in wearable technology expose the user to some level of RF radiation.
