Do UVC Lamps, Antimicrobial Technologies, Phone Radiation Blockers and RFID Wallets Really Work? We asked the experts

Technology often promises to improve your life, but few gadgets fulfill that claim. Everything is revolutionary in this industry, and it can be a challenge to differentiate enthusiastic marketing from distorted facts and outright lies. Scaremongering is a common sales tool. So how do you tell if a product offers real protection or if it’s pure snake oil? It can be amazing to get definitive answers.

We investigated four categories — mobile phone radiation and electromagnetic fields, UVC sanitizers, antimicrobial materials, and radio frequency identification — and asked experts to diagnose whether the gadgets in those areas offer real benefit or protection.

Mobile phone radiation and EMF blocking

There is still debate about the potential of mobile phone radiation and other frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (EMFs), such as those generated via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. cause cancer. Among the various studies conducted, there is generally no decisive link between cell phone use and cancer, although most organizations liked it Association Against Cancer and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences say more research is needed.

Whether or not mobile phone radiation or EMF is harmful, there is a thriving industry that claims to reduce your exposure. There are protective products, special phone cases and protective clothing, but do they really work? Kenneth Foster, an emeritus professor of bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania, is skeptical.

“First, the average consumer has no way of knowing how effective this protective device is, and they would probably spend money to reduce exposure,” Foster wrote in the email. “Second, there is no demonstrable health benefit as long as the cell phone operates within security limits (as all legally sold devices do”).

Federal Trade Commission he issued a warning about fraud this claim to protect from mobile phone radiation. Worse, some of these protective devices can have the opposite effect. Foster says the fabric’s protective material can be woven from metal, which can reflect or absorb radio waves, increasing exposure. But it is likely that some of the alleged products blocked by EMF, such as pendants or stickers, do nothing.

“I don’t know of any physical principles that devices can work with,” says Foster. “It’s expensive and requires special equipment to test, and from what I can tell, vendors of these devices don’t prove their effectiveness through scientifically valid testing, but rely on technical jargon to sell gadgets.”

If you’re worried about radiation, RF, and EMF from your phone, forget about buying products. It is best to change the use of the phone. Foster says you can use a Bluetooth speaker to make calls instead of holding the phone to your ear and avoid the cell phone in places with weak signals, as poor network coverage gives the phone internal power to try to keep it on. connectivity. Another alternative is not to use a mobile phone, but that is not easy in today’s digital world.

UVC sanitizers

Many of us know it studies that mobile phones, computer keyboards, and other surfaces can become a breeding ground for bacteria unless you have them disinfect regularly.