A SMARTPHONE APP THAT MEASURES ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES: A PARADOX?
ARNAUD LEGOUT, RESEARCHER AT THE INRIA (FRENCH INSTITUTE FOR COMPUTER AND AUTOMATION RESEARCH) HAS DEVELOPED A SMARTPHONE APP THAT CAN MEASURE EXPOSURE TO ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES.
A PREVENTIVE AND PRECAUTIOUS APPROACH
Arnaud Legout, researcher at the INRIA Sofia Antipolis, has developed ElectroSmart, an application with an impressive dual purpose: advancing research while detecting potential dangers. In fact, the primary purpose of this application is transparency for the public. The objective is to allow any individual exposed to electromagnetic fields (in other words, almost all of us) to know when and to what extent they are being exposed, through a simple, easy-to-read measurement called the E-score. A secondary benefit of this application is that it allows us to collect data, helping epidemiological studies on the impact and harmfulness of electromagnetic waves on human health. To date, ElectroSmart has collected 700 million data points.
So it would seem necessary to improve magnetic field detectors to prevent exposure, in particular in those of us suffering from electrohypersensitivity. The number of these electrosensitivity cases is constantly increasing and characterized by clinical symptoms such as sleep disorders, various, unexplained pains and serious nervousness. The direct causation between exposure to electromagnetic waves remains difficult to establish, but it seems that it depends on the nature, frequency, duration and intensity of exposure. In this light, it’s clear to see the importance of developing an EMF measurement device.
THE PARADOXICAL CHOICE OF SMARTPHONES AS EMF MEASUREMENT TOOLS
Even if it’s clear to see the interest in using an electromagnetic detector, the choice to create it in the form of a smartphone app may come as a surprise. Regardless, smartphones are the most ubiquitous of all our connected devices with potential negative health effects. Attributed to headaches, hormonal imbalances and even male infertility, cell phones are the foremost generators of electromagnetic waves that science has been warning us about for decades. So it seems rather paradoxical to use a source of electromagnetic waves to measure the power and effect of electromagnetic waves in the environment. Especially considering this app doesn’t measure waves emitted by a number of sources, including microwaves, cordless telephones, high voltage power lines and Linky Meters. So what does this app actually measure? Does it measure EMF waves in the environment, including those generated by most everyday objects? Does it measure the waves created by the “Smartphone-EMF-detector” itself? Using an app as tool to measure electromagnetic waves may seem rather counterintuitive and, as we’ve found out, provide incomplete results. Considering that in cases like these, it’s best to use the precautionary principle, we may want to look for other solutions to measure EMF waves. Rather than simply measuring electromagnetic waves, it may be more worthwhile to go with EMF protection devices that not only protect us from these waves, but fully absorb them and convert them into positive waves thanks to scalar energy.
