Estimation of the SAR in the human head and body due to radiofrequency radiation exposure from handheld mobile phones with hands-free accessories.
Bit-Babik G, Chou CK, Faraone A, Gessner A, Kanda M, Balzano Q. · 2003
View Original AbstractHands-free accessories reduce cell phone radiation exposure to your head, despite claims suggesting otherwise from flawed testing methods.
Plain English Summary
Researchers measured how much radiofrequency energy from cell phones reaches the human head when using hands-free accessories like wired headsets. Contrary to some earlier claims, they found that hands-free accessories actually reduce RF exposure to the head rather than increase it. The study emphasized that proper testing methods must include the full torso, not just the head, because the body naturally absorbs and reduces the RF energy traveling through headset wires.
Why This Matters
This research addresses an important misconception that has circulated about hands-free accessories potentially increasing head exposure to cell phone radiation. The science demonstrates that when proper dosimetric methods are used - including realistic body models rather than isolated head phantoms - hands-free accessories consistently reduce RF exposure to the head. What this means for you is that using a wired headset or earbuds does provide a meaningful reduction in your head's exposure to cell phone radiation. The study highlights a critical issue in EMF research: methodology matters enormously, and studies using incomplete models can produce misleading results that contradict real-world physics.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
The aim of this study is to investigate Estimation of the SAR in the human head and body due to radiofrequency radiation exposure from handheld mobile phones with hands-free accessories.
The results of this study show that the opposite is observed when proper dosimetric methods are empl...
Show BibTeX
@article{g_2003_estimation_of_the_sar_1910,
author = {Bit-Babik G and Chou CK and Faraone A and Gessner A and Kanda M and Balzano Q.},
title = {Estimation of the SAR in the human head and body due to radiofrequency radiation exposure from handheld mobile phones with hands-free accessories.},
year = {2003},
url = {https://meridian.allenpress.com/radiation-research/article-abstract/159/4/550/375829/Estimation-of-the-SAR-in-the-Human-Head-and-Body},
}