Negligible electromagnetic interaction between medical electronic equipment and 2.4 GHz band wireless LAN.
Hanada E, Hoshino Y, Oyama H, Watanabe Y, Nose Y. · 2002
View Original AbstractWi-Fi at 10 mW power levels showed no interference with hospital medical equipment, though modern systems operate at much higher power.
Plain English Summary
Researchers tested whether 2.4 GHz wireless LAN networks (Wi-Fi) interfere with medical equipment in hospitals, examining nine different devices while Wi-Fi was transmitting nearby. They found no malfunctions in medical equipment even when Wi-Fi access points were placed directly next to the devices, though some hospital equipment like electric surgical knives did reduce Wi-Fi reception rates to about 60%. This suggests Wi-Fi can be safely installed in hospitals at the low power levels used in Japan (maximum 10 mW), though access points should be kept away from microwave ovens.
Why This Matters
This 2002 study addresses a critical safety concern as hospitals increasingly adopted Wi-Fi networks. What makes this research particularly relevant is that it examined real-world hospital conditions with actual medical equipment during operation. The power levels tested (maximum 10 mW) are significantly lower than many consumer Wi-Fi routers today, which typically operate at 100 mW or higher in the U.S. While the study found no interference with medical devices, it's worth noting that this was conducted over two decades ago with older equipment and lower power levels. The reality is that modern hospitals now operate in much more complex electromagnetic environments, with higher-powered Wi-Fi systems, more wireless devices, and increasingly sensitive medical equipment. What this means for you is that while this study provides some reassurance about basic Wi-Fi safety in medical settings, the electromagnetic landscape has evolved considerably since 2002.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 2.4 GHz
Study Details
We tested the effect of wireless LAN communication on medical electronic equipment and the effect of electronic equipment on wireless LAN communication
We observed nine pieces of electronic equipment in the operating mode while transmitting radio waves...
Show BibTeX
@article{e_2002_negligible_electromagnetic_interaction_between_2150,
author = {Hanada E and Hoshino Y and Oyama H and Watanabe Y and Nose Y.},
title = {Negligible electromagnetic interaction between medical electronic equipment and 2.4 GHz band wireless LAN.},
year = {2002},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12118814/},
}