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Hot on the heels of concerns regarding mobile phone signals, Wi-Fi signals, the low-level electromagnetic radiation used to enable wireless networks, is now thought by some to cause headaches in children and teachers exposed to them. Writing to Alan Johnson, the education secretary, the Professional Association of Teachers asked that scientific research be conducted into the effects of these signals and recommended that schools refrain from installing wireless networks until they have been determined safe, particularly in the case of primary schools.

The evidence for this concern is largely anecdotal and circumstantial, with no serious research yet undertaken. However, by simple measurement of the output of Wi-Fi devices and comparison with the internationally agreed standards of radiation exposure, some conclusion may be reached. As Dr. Michael Clark of the HPA, states, “When we have conducted measurements in schools, typical exposures from Wi-Fi are around 20 millionths of the international guideline levels of exposure to radiation. As a comparison, a child on a mobile phone receives up to 50 percent of guideline levels. So, a year sitting in a classroom near a wireless network is roughly equivalent to 20 minutes on a mobile”.

Is this another example of corporations putting the rush to get products out before safety or another example of luddite scare-mongering?

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 25th, 2007 at 1:31 pm and is filed under Current Affairs, Health, Internet, Science, Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.