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Anti-hijacking Efforts and Cardiac Pacemakers-Report of a Clinical Study

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Hood OC, Keshishian JM, Smith NPD, Podolak E, Hoffman AA, Baker NR · 1972

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1972 airport weapon detectors showed electromagnetic fields can interfere with life-saving cardiac pacemakers, establishing early EMF-medical device concerns.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

This 1972 study examined how electromagnetic weapon detection systems at airports could interfere with cardiac pacemakers. Researchers found that active magnetometers, which generate their own electromagnetic fields to detect concealed weapons, posed potential risks to passengers with implanted pacemakers. The study highlighted an early example of how security technology could create unintended medical consequences through EMF exposure.

Why This Matters

This study represents one of the earliest documented concerns about electromagnetic interference with medical devices. While it predates modern wireless technology, it established a crucial principle: electromagnetic fields can disrupt life-sustaining medical equipment. The reality is that today's EMF environment is exponentially more complex than what these researchers encountered in 1972. We now carry devices emitting radiofrequency radiation in our pockets, live surrounded by WiFi networks, and navigate environments filled with various electromagnetic sources. What this means for you is that if 1970s airport security equipment could potentially interfere with pacemakers, today's ubiquitous wireless infrastructure deserves serious consideration. The medical device industry has improved shielding since then, but the fundamental physics of electromagnetic interference hasn't changed.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
Hood OC, Keshishian JM, Smith NPD, Podolak E, Hoffman AA, Baker NR (1972). Anti-hijacking Efforts and Cardiac Pacemakers-Report of a Clinical Study.
Show BibTeX
@article{anti_hijacking_efforts_and_cardiac_pacemakers_report_of_a_clinical_study_g6598,
  author = {Hood OC and Keshishian JM and Smith NPD and Podolak E and Hoffman AA and Baker NR},
  title = {Anti-hijacking Efforts and Cardiac Pacemakers-Report of a Clinical Study},
  year = {1972},
  
  
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, this 1972 study found that active electromagnetic weapon detection systems at airports could potentially interfere with implanted cardiac pacemakers, creating medical safety concerns for passengers with these life-sustaining devices.
Passive magnetometers detect disruptions in Earth's natural magnetic field, while active magnetometers generate their own electromagnetic fields. The active type posed greater interference risks to pacemakers because they create stronger electromagnetic emissions.
Following 118 aircraft hijackings by July 1971, the FAA commissioned Westinghouse to develop electromagnetic detection systems that could identify concealed weapons and distinguish between threatening objects like guns and harmless items like cigarette lighters.
Two main pacemaker types exist: fixed-rate units that discharge continuously regardless of natural heart rhythm, and demand units that only activate when natural electrical impulses are absent. Both types can be disrupted by electromagnetic interference.
This appears to be among the earliest documented studies of electromagnetic interference with implanted medical devices, establishing important precedent for understanding how EMF exposure can affect life-sustaining electronic equipment in the human body.