Laptop Health. Electromagnetic Radiation (EMF) emitted from laptops and its potential dangers.
Keep your body and laptop safe with Lounge-tek ergonomic supports.
Lounge-book is the ergonomic support that keeps away your laptop from your body . Thanks to the fully adjustable laptop-tray “suspended” by the metallic structure, you can find always the ergonomic position, to prevent pains and other postural diseases.
Laptop and Tablet PC: born for mobility
Portable computers are often used at tight contact with the body and therefore are called “laptop”. This is an improper site for the use of a Personal Computer, which consequently should be renamed to not induce customers towards an improper use.
About Laptop Health,an interesting study was made by Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Reproduction Medicine, University of Siena .
The authors measured electromagnetic fields (EMFs) laptop computers produce and estimated the induced currents in the body, to assess the safety of laptop computers.
The authors evaluated 5 commonly used laptop of different brands.
They measured EMF exposure produced and, using validated computerized models, the authors exploited the data of one of the laptop computers to estimate the magnetic flux exposure of the user and of the fetus in the womb, when the laptop is used at close contact with the woman’s womb. In the LTCs analyzed, EMF values (range 1.8-6 μT) are considerably higher than the values recommended by 2 recent guidelines for computer monitors magnetic field emissions, MPR II (Swedish Board for Technical Accreditation) and TCO (Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees), and those considered risky for tumor development.
When close to the body, the laptop induces currents that are within 34.2% to 49.8% ICNIRP recommendations, but not negligible, to the adult’s body and to the fetus (in pregnant women). On the contrary, the power supply induces strong intracorporal electric current densities in the fetus and in the adult subject, which are respectively 182-263% and 71-483% higher than ICNIRP 98 basic restriction recommended to prevent adverse health effects. FCC report regarding safety from EMFs way back in 1996 states that a laptop needs to be placed at least 20 cm from the body.
woman on the street sitting with a computer in her lap and typing
Thermal dangers of laptops.
American Academy of Pediatrics, say that chronic exposure to the heat source on the underside of a laptop computer can cause an unsightly rash dubbed “laptop skin” or, laptop-induced “erythema ab igne,” a web-like, pinkish-brownish lesion. Also known as “toasted skin syndrome,” erythema ab igne can result from prolonged skin contact with any significant heat source. Laptops been identified as an agent, Heat exposures at laptop positions could also induce negative effects on spermatogenesis and fertility.
An accurate medical questioning revealed that the patients used to place the lower surface of laptop computer on the extensor side of their thighs in a cross-legged position for many hours (about 6-8 hours) every days. In particular, the patients supported the laptop computer always on the same leg. Laptop computer-induced EAI was diagnosed, The heat behind the damage all originates from three potential sources on the laptop: the optical drive, the battery and the ventilation fan, The infrared radiation from the heat causes a reticular pattern of hyper-pigmentation due to the swelling of surrounding cells the risks associated are mainly aesthetic.
Though this is indeed the case for “laptop skin,” other types of ertythema ab igne have potentially graver long-term health consequences. Just as prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation mutates skin cells and causes melanoma, exposure to severe infrared radiation can cause squamous skin-cell cancer. Simply stopping exposure to the laptop will cause the lesion to fade completely in a matter of weeks.
Unfortunately, the most convenient way of using a laptop is by putting on the lap, which in turn occludes the ventilation-fan exhaust and increases the computer’s temperature. For protection from thermal protection, keep it off your lap and away from all your vital organs. In most of the laptop heating cases, patients are not aware of the heat resulting in delay of the patient response. This delay could be related to the intensity of the heat, the duration of contact, and the presence of clothes between the computer and the skin. Heating can be mitigated by using a laptop cleaning the thermal hole, lifting the back and changing the battery mode, so that system will automatically adjust the running speed of CPU, will help in power saving and decrease heating. The laptop should be placed on a hard surface and not on soft surfaces like a bed or couch. Switched-on laptop should not be placed to prevent overheating. Proper cleaning of the fan and sink (metal component reduces heat from the microprocessor) should be carried out. Universal Serial Bus device should be connected only when they are in use
It’s not like the computer manufacturers don’t warn us. If you take the time to look in your manual (which many of us don’t), you’ll probably find wording something to this effect: “Warning: Do not place on lap.” And actually, these days, you just need to look at the bottom of your laptop and you’ll likely find this kind of warning: “Warning: Do not block the outlet of fan grill. Place the machine on hard surface only. Caution: This surface is hot. Avoid body contact and do not place this notebook on your lap while it is operating.”
For a good Laptop Health, it should be used in properly ventilated and air-conditioned rooms. The most effective way of preventing erythema is to use the laptop on the table or other ergonomic desk as Lounge-tek’s Supports.
Potential Dangers of Wi-Fi
Before we can really delve into the existing research and run the numbers on wifi health risks, it’s good to know exactly what wifi is.
What’s Wi-Fi?
An interesting post by Healthambition.com explane it and talks about Wi-fi Risks…. Wi-Fi is easy and convenient but many have raised doubts concerning the safety of unseen forces that permeate everything around us. Since the introduction of Wi-Fi in 1997, researchers have performed hundreds of studies to explore if the wi-fi exposure may be the reason of several diseases and issues… Insomnia, Childhood Development, Cell Growth, Brain Function, Fertility, Cardiac Stress, Cancer. This is extremely controversial but we can’t ignore that plenty of animal models indicate that exposure to electromagnetic radiation increases the risk of tumor development but at the opposite “a Wi-Fi signal is around is 100,000 times less than a microwave oven” (The Guardian). The oven is a targeted device that operates at very high voltages and short distances. Wi-Fi routers operate at very low voltages, broadcast in all directions, and are used at relatively long distances.. At normal operating distances, Wi-Fi’s intensity is generally so low that it’s not worth worrying about: it’s just part of the “smog” that is generated by radio and TV signals, AC mains wiring, the motors in home appliances, and the universe in general. (the wavelength of Wi-Fi signals is the same as the cosmic background radiation)
There have been hundreds of attempts to find out whether Wi-Fi routers or, more importantly, mobile phones represent a health risk. . If you want to to minimise risk, the mobile phone must be the first thing to go. In use, the phone is held close to the brain, while the Wi-Fi router may well be in another room (inverse square law). Your microwave oven should be safe enough because designs are tested to make sure they are properly shielded. If you are extremely fussy about Wi-Fi, then make sure you sit 1m (or more) away from the router, and don’t use your laptop on your lap, put it on a table or tray instead.
Lounge-tek’s supports are the perfect stand to create Wi-Fi lounges for public spaces, cafè , waiting rooms.
Limit children’s exposure to wi-fi
Children and adolescents are at considerable risk from devices that radiate microwaves. Children absorb a greater amount of microwave radiation than adults. Adolescent girls and women should not place cellphones in their bras or in hijabs (headscarf).
Wireless devices are radio transmitters, not toys. Selling toys that use them should be monitored more closely… as supported by an interesting post by bestforthekids.com
A laptop support is strongly suggested for Pregnant woman
Keep your body and laptop safe with Lounge-tek ergonomic supports.
Lounge-book is the ergonomic support that keeps away your laptop from your body . Thanks to the fully adjustable laptop-tray “suspended” by the metallic structure, you can find always the ergonomic position, to prevent pains and other postural diseases.
Public Hot spot: Ergonomie and Dangers for Privacy
Many Public places offer a Hot Spot to work, enjoy with Laptops. There’s something really freeing about taking your laptop or mobile device down to your local coffee shop, grabbing a cup of your favorite brewed beverage and sitting down to surf the web.
Using laptops for a prolonged time in a wrong posture, may cause several pains and other problems related to security and privacy.
When you’re using an unprotected public hotspot, whatever you do online while connected to the internet is wide open for viewing by bad guys, hackers, government agents and other various creeps. That means your messages, emails, banking and shopping information, and every login under the sun is an open book to anyone who knows how to intercept your wireless connection.
More about Privacy dangers on this interesting Post by pixelprivacy.com