Ajay Ogirala, Joshua R. Stachel, and Marlin H. Mickle
RFID, CRMD, EMC, EMI, interference, pacemaker
Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology has enjoyed substantial market growth in the past few years, gaining footholds in a wide array of consumer, industrial, and medical applications. Also, over the past few decades the number of patients requiring cardiac rhythm management devices (CRMDs), such as implantable cardiac pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators, has been steadily increasing due to advances in pacing technology as well as the aging populace of many countries around the world. The prevalence of these trends underscores the importance of proper electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing between RFID and CRMDs, in order to ensure a safe environment for the CRMD implanted patient. Though there are several results claiming the negative impact of RFID on CRMDs, there are no definitive test procedures for experimentation. This article proposes a comprehensive testing model in order to assess the electromagnetic compatibility of CRMDs when exposed to radio frequency (RF) signals at various RFID frequencies. While building upon previous, ad hoc approaches to EMC testing of CRMDs, this framework attempts to expand these techniques to include testing to determine the fundamental, interfering characteristics of RF signals. It is the opinion of the authors that current publications claiming that RFID interferes with CRMD operation cannot be validated until the test procedures executed are transparently disclosed and approved.
Important Links:
Go Back
