Computers and Wearables: A Close Relationship
Computers have become intimately tied to modern life. But has our relationship grown too close?
Computers have become intimately tied to modern life. But has our relationship grown too close?
It’s something to consider in the age of wearables.
As the name suggests, wearables are computers worn close to the body. They often connect wirelessly to the internet, and take several forms, such as rings, bracelets, glasses, and electronic tattoos.
An article published in the journal npj Digital Medicine defines a wearable as a sensor “unencumbered by wires for the continuous and non-invasive detection of biosignals, analytes, or biomechanical and impact forces for monitoring human health and performance.”
Some wearables, such as smartwatches, give you a few things to do—like the opportunity to flip through your favorite songs or check the latest weather forecast. In most cases, however, you’re not meant to consciously engage with the technology for it to do its job. You just wear the device, and go about your day, as the wearable works in the background.
The tech industry sees wearables as a big area for growth. Apple currently dominates the wearables market, however, Google is also turning attention to developing these products.
Currently, about a third of the adult population uses a wearable. And, as you might expect, most users are younger (18 to 44). However, the biggest projection for growth is toward older folks.
Why Wear Wearables?
One major reason people wear these devices is to benefit their health. Wearables can record the number of steps you take, calories you burn, or any other health data you might want to collect and analyze. Fitness trackers, for example, chart your exercise progress, encouraging you to improve your numbers over time.
And people say they work. Results from a 2019 health information survey found that frequent use of fitness wearables improved patients’ physical activity levels.
Beyond gauging and enhancing physical performance, wearables may be used to evaluate our psychological health as well.
A 2023 study examined machine learning models that sift through data from wearable devices designed to identify a patient’s degree of resilience and mental well-being. Researchers say these findings support the use of wearable devices as a way to monitor and assess psychological states remotely without the use of mental health questionnaires.
Wearables have also been used to track the progression of disease. A 2021 review looked at 22 different types of wearable technologies designed to detect COVID-19 infection. The goal was to see if the technology was effective enough for health care policymakers to “mandate its use for remote surveillance.”
Anxiety Inducing?
For all the health benefits wearables claim to offer, there is also evidence that suggests these devices are not so healthy. For example, some individuals find all this personal data overwhelming. Some studies show that health tracking can contribute to addiction and anxiety.
A National Institutes of Health-funded study in 2020 found that although wearables can motivate some people to engage in healthy behaviors, they may inadvertently contribute to pathologic symptom monitoring and impaired function in others.
The study looked at patients with intermittent atrial fibrillation who were especially susceptible to excessive cardiac monitoring with a wearable device. They found that anxiety was prevalent among this population, leading to a higher symptom burden, worsened quality of life, and an increase in health care consumption.
“Thus, technologies that heighten awareness and attention to normal and potentially abnormal fluctuations in heart rates may lead to substantial increases in anxiety in predisposed persons and prompt unnecessary medical care,” the study stated.
Other studies reveal a correlation between the use of fitness and calorie trackers and an increase in symptoms of eating disorders, particularly among college students.
Although preliminary, results suggest that for some individuals, these devices might do more harm than good.
Wireless Harms and Privacy
There’s a big push to expand the wearables market, but many consumers are hesitant to strap on a wireless device that records and transmits data from their minds and bodies. Non-health-related concerns include the privacy and cyber security issues regarding your personal information.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautions that these devices could also be a source of distraction and lead to a number of safety issues, particularly for those “driving a car or participating in other activities that require close attention.”
Radiation exposure is another concern with wearables. These devices typically connect wirelessly through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or other wireless communication technologies, and since they are in close proximity to your body, you are exposed to more of the frequencies wearables emit.
FCC guidelines for wireless radiation were adopted in 1996, long before smartphones and wearables were introduced. However, several studies since then have suggested that RF radiation exposure—considered harmless by FCC standards—can cause harm.
In 2011, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classified wireless radiation as a Group 2B possible carcinogen.
Some of the strongest evidence that FCC standards may not be adequate came in 2018 from the final report of a $30 million, 10-year study funded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It was conducted by the National Toxicology Program (NTP)—the federal agency tasked with testing toxins—and was designed to be the final word on whether wireless radiation was harmful. It showed clear evidence of cancer and DNA damage linked to cellphone use.
In 2021 a federal court ruled that the FCC had to reevaluate its wireless safety standards based on studies that show harm. Regulators have yet to update their standards, but until they do, some are calling for more caution.
One is Fariha Husain, EMR (electromagnetic radiation) and wireless program manager for Children’s Health Defense (CHD)—one of the organizations that sued the FCC to change its RF safety standard.
Ms. Husain points to several health impacts associated with exposure from wireless devices, particularly when worn close to the body, like wearables. These include an increased cancer risk, cellular stress, increase in harmful free radicals, genetic damage, structural and functional changes in the reproductive system, learning and memory deficits, neurological disorders, and more.
“Exposure to electromagnetic energy generally decreases with distance from the source. Therefore, our guidance is to eliminate or increase distance from wireless sources whenever possible. Since wearables must be worn close to the body, we recommend eliminating the use of wearables altogether, if possible,” Ms. Husain said.
Of course, RF fields are difficult, if not impossible, to avoid these days. Homes, schools, and workplaces are already bathed in Wi-Fi 24/7, and most people carry a smartphone wherever they go. So does adding a wearable into your daily mix of wireless radiation exposure really make much of a difference?
Ms. Husain says it does.
“Exposure from wireless sources is complex and cumulative,” she said. “This means that the more wireless sources a person is exposed to, and the closer they are to the body, the greater the health risk.”
While we can’t see RF radiation, it can certainly make people sick. Electromagnetic sensitivity is a federally recognized health condition in which individuals suffer from a wide range of adverse symptoms due to RF exposure. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, tinnitus, difficulty concentrating, memory loss, sleep problems, depression, fatigue, flu-like symptoms, restlessness, anxiety, heart palpitations, and muscle and joint pain.
CHD’s guidance on reducing RF exposure calls to eliminate or disable wireless devices whenever possible, and to maximize the distance between you and the device.
“This general guidance also applies to wearables like Apple watches, fitbits, etc. and our guidance would be to eliminate these kinds of devices altogether,” Husain said.
