If the world wasn’t already worried enough about electromagnetic radiation from cell phones, Apple now provides us with another source from which to fuel our anxieties, particularly if we’re old.
According to a study presented by a 17-year-old high school student to a meeting of heart specialists on Thursday, iPods can cause pacemakers to malfunction and even fail by interfering with the electromagnetic equipment monitoring the heart.
If you believe that animal testing is cruel, try waving iPods in front of 100 old folk with a mean age of 77, all fitted with Pacemakers.
The study tested the effect of the iPod on each pacemaker patient. Electrical interference was detected half of the time when the iPod was held just 2 inches from the patient’s chest for 5 to 10 seconds. In some cases, the iPods caused interference when held 18 inches from the chest.
Interfering with the telemetry equipment caused the pacemakers to misread the heart’s pacing and in one case caused the pacemaker to stop functioning altogether.
The study was held at the Thoracic and Cardiovascular Institute at Michigan State University. The results were presented at the Heart Rhythm Society annual meeting in Denver.
Fake Steve Jobs, always quick to put the flame out on any negative press for Apple, writes that Apple has known about the issue for quite some time. “And we’re happy about it. We even cranked up the voltage on our new models. Thing is, we really don’t want old people using iPods”. Given this study it’s probably wise that they didn’t.
For more, check out CrunchGear’s sardonic analysis of the study.
“Every time I see some elderly person wearing an iPod and power-walking at the mall I just want to scream.”
Leave it to fake Steve Jobs to report Apple news as it is:) But I’d add this to the above to give the real Steve Jobs effect:
“And so ladies and gentleman, we found a fix. Can you believe it? We found a way to ensure iPod remains hip, forever!”
Maybe it’s an addon like the *&%()%)_@%)+ FM ripoff addon is!
I wonder if Medicare will pay for this addon?
And cellphones?
Wow! This is quite frankly shocking. Is it applicable to just iPods or any portable mp3 player?
50 bucks says every single person in this study had to ask “what is that thing?” (about the ipod)
i’m not too worried.
Pallab,
the study didn’t look at other mp3 players so it’s possible others have the same effect, but notably the next study is looking at the effect of iPods on other medical devices, so it might not be an issue with Pacemakers alone. Certainly hospitals here (in Australia) ban mobile phones being switched on inside the hospital, iPods will probably be next
Wouldn’t this be the case with many other electronic devices as well? In Japan there’s a law (unenforced) that you have to turn OFF (not just silent) your cell phone while near priority seats (seats for old people).
An apple [iPod] a day doesn’t keep doctors away!!
Isn’t it coincidental that iPod sales coincide with the rising sales of hearing aid manufacturers too?
Connect the dots — http://www.pluggd.in/2006/12/a.....ctors.html
Cause everyone with a pacemaker wears an iPod… My grandmother has a pacemaker, and she doesn’t even know what an iPod is. Does this study cover all MP3 PLAYERS? Not Just the iPod? How about the Zune? Oh, That’s right… NO one has a Zune, no worries there. Sales can’t go down for them.
Read about all your Apple rumors and see why the stock is going to $125 per share @: http://www.marketmatador.com/category/apple/
Still..
i’m 23 and I have a pacemaker.. and an iPod.
never had problem so far, but wouldn’t want to suddenly drop dead so to speak..
I have had a pacemaker since I was 23…. now I’m 40ish…i have an ipod,
I am sure there are a heap of people out there who are now just a little worried. Not sure if I should use it now , but will definatley miss it…
I am 62 and have a pacemaker. C’mon…can’t believe your article says “old” people. Plenty of young people have pacemakers and I love my ipod. This is disturbing news but even my blow dryer causes problems if I hold it right by my pm…..so I don’t! Hope there is more research on this, beause I use my ipod a lot and would hate to be without it.
This is great news! I recently was stuck in Atrial Fibrilation for 7 days and went to the hospital to get electro-cardioverted back into normal sinus rhythm. Next time I’ll just crank up the tunes, and put my iPod in my chest pocket. It’s better than the paddles.
I have a pacemaker, an have for years, and I’m listening to it right now. I dont have any troublllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllldfsssssaj dlj sdjf, opps sorry I guess I skipped a few beats.
I think that the person or persons that say ‘old’ people should not have ipods, might want to take a good hard look at themselves. Ipods, like everything else are a sign of the times. I have to wonder what is in the future, that such ignorant people will be told they shouldn’t use because they are ‘old’. I’m not old, but I have the utmost respect for the aged.
Further more not everyone ‘old’ has a pacemaker. I hope you all don’t have to find that out.
Sorry to wine, but this is a worthless article…
It’s kind of a useless study. Obviously other MP3 players could have the same effect, but they only decided to test iPods. What kind of a study is that? No control test???
And, which models of iPods? Do iPod shuffles have the same effect as harddrive iPods? What kind of idiot releases a study only targeting a brand without any specifics? That’s like saying “Kellogs cereals can give stomach aches to sick people”. The lack of information is shocking with a study getting this much press.
Diepod?
Bill W. — they tested four different ipod models (try googling). I don’t think their point was to bash Apple. Yes more studies need to be done, but you’ve got to start somewhere.
What the heck is a pacemaker?
This is kinda interesting. I’d like to see more statistics though.
LOL @ diepod
I’m sure this will cause just as many people to stop using their $400 ipods just as much as the study on how laptops can cause men to become infertile caused people to chuck out their comps.
Hmmmm…Out of how many did it fail?
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