Hello,
In a three way conversation between an engineer, and a
represenitive of a company that makes the Vargas nerve stimulater, (an
implanted device used to control epilepsy.) I was told that it wasn't
the devices sensitivity to RF, BUT the lack of RF warning stickers
posted!
I don't want to get blamed for little Timmie down the street
getting cancer because he was to young to read!
Tony
>From: "Ed Berbari" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Reply-To: Discussion of AM Radio <[email protected]>
>To: "Discussion of AM Radio" <[email protected]>
>Subject: Re: [AMRadio] Insulin Pump RFI?
>Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2005 22:35:04 -0500
>
>Jim,
>
>Your prior work sure sounds like it was fun.
>
>About 12 years ago I got involved with some RF issues with medical
devices
>and it was indeed surprising to find out how little testing was
done. Some
>is beacuse the vast majority of medical devices come from small
companies.
>For example, motorized wheel chairs back then used unshieled analog
cables
>to the joystick controller and there were several examples of RF
>interference from passing cars with trasmitters (police
cars) causing these
>devices to unlock their brakes. In this period the FDA was barely
equipped
>do do this testing.
>
>Newer devices are designed with greater awareness of these issues,
but there
>are still a lot of legacy devices out there. I got particulary
involved
>with the cell phone/pacemaker problem back then as well. Those
devices have
>been significantly improved since then. I know nothing about modern
>infusion pumps, but there wer many susceptable ones in the past.
>
>Ed, W9EJB
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Jim candela" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: "Discussion of AM Radio" <[email protected]>
>Sent: Friday, March 04, 2005 7:42 AM
>Subject: RE: [AMRadio] Insulin Pump RFI?
>
>
> >
> > Ed,
> >
> > I used to work in a EMI lab where we would test military gear
for EMC.
> > That was back in the late 80's when the standard test criteria was
mil-std
> > 461. We would test in a RF proof chamber (metal walls) and would
bombard
>the
> > unit under test with RF from 14 Khz to 18 Ghz at high field
strength.
> > Everything tested failed at some frequency and at some field
strength. We
> > would also test by conducting RF into the wiring. This was a ham
radio
> > operator paradise where an array of amplifiers, antennas, spectrum
> > analyzers, etc. were used daily. My ham radio knowledge paid off
too where
> > sometimes we had to clean up the RF with quarter wave stubs,
filters, etc.
> > because the broad band amplifiers often passed on harmonics at
only -20 db
> > down.
> >
> > I guess the point is that although medical devices implanted in
our body
> > can be life saving, given the right circumstances they also might
do the
> > opposite. I hope that the manufacturers test the heck out of this
stuff
> > similar to what I used to do with military gear in the old emi
lab.
> >
> > I sure miss that job..
> >
> > Regards,
> > Jim
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Ed Berbari
> > Sent: Thursday, March 03, 2005 4:16 PM
> > To: Discussion of AM Radio
> > Subject: Re: [AMRadio] Insulin Pump RFI?
> >
> >
> > Gentleman,
> >
> > The interference problem between RF sources and medical devices is
real,
>but
> > fortunately a declining one. For many years the medical device
industry
>did
> > not do a good job in their designs but most devices were in a
controlled
> > enviroment. However the medical devices have moved to the real
world with
> > such devices as pacemakers, etc.
> >
> > A lot of the intereference has to do with the mode of
modulation. The
>newer
> > digital phones can actually have peak power outputs of 10-12 Watts
and
> > indeed could cause some problems with devices like
pacemakers. This
>problem
> > was identified early on and there has been a fix.
> >
> > However the risk can be real. http://www.ou.edu/engineering/emc/
> >
> > Ed, W9EJB
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Jim candela" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > To: "Discussion of AM Radio" <[email protected]>
> > Sent: Monday, February 28, 2005 7:12 AM
> > Subject: RE: [AMRadio] Insulin Pump RFI?
> >
> >
> > >
> > > I asked my brother, a diabetic, about radio interference to his
insulin
> > > pump. He is a lawyer, and I hoped to get a legal answer to a
>hypothetical
> > > case where he went into insulin shock as a result of my being on
the air
> > > waves:
> > >
> > >
> > > Question:
> > >
> > > John,
> > >
> > > A hypothetical case. Your my neighbor with a
> > > insulin pump, and I am a federally licensed ham radio
> > > operator. I am transmitting within the law on a
> > > licensed frequency, running legal power, etc. Your
> > > pump is susceptible to strong radio waves... One day I
> > > am talking on the air, and while talking, a ambulance
> > > takes you away. Seems your in insulin shock due to a
> > > pump malfunction. Where is the law on this issue?
> > >
> > > Jim
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Answer:
> > >
> > > Jim,
> > >
> > > You are a mad man. Actually, from looking at the manual of this
thing
>the
> > > more likely problem is from the pump interfering with other
devices
>using
> > > radio frequencies. The RFs on the pump are used to transmit
readings
>from
> > a
> > > glucose test meter to the pump. The book says that interference
will
>not
> > > affect the actual pump operation. As to your question the
manual says
> > that
> > > the pump must comply with Part 15 of the FCC rules and it must
accept
>any
> > > interference received. That aside, if I survive in your
scenario, look
> > out!
> > >
> > > John
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Side note: If his insulin pump was creating interference, and
causing me
> > > trouble receiving the Collins net this Wednesday, would it be
>appropriate
> > to
> > > ask my brother to turn that darn thing off? :-)
> > > --
> > > No virus found in this outgoing message.
> > > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
> > > Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.5.1 - Release Date:
2/27/2005
> > >
> > > ______________________________________________________________
> > > AMRadio mailing list
> > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio
> > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html
> > > Post: mailto:[email protected]
> >
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > AMRadio mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html
> > Post: mailto:[email protected]
> > --
> > No virus found in this incoming message.
> > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
> > Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.5.7 - Release Date:
3/1/2005
> >
> > --
> > No virus found in this outgoing message.
> > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
> > Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.6.0 - Release Date:
3/2/2005
> >
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > AMRadio mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html
> > Post: mailto:[email protected]
>
>______________________________________________________________
>AMRadio mailing list
>Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html
>Post: mailto:[email protected]
