Thread: Harmful wireless mouses (possibly)

Originally Posted by oldgit

I have the same Logitech wireless mouse model Cn231 made in China, had it for eight years no trouble with the hand that holds the Mouse.
Found this:

Summary:
Email warns that radiation emitted by an optical computer mouse can cause cancer and damage hand tissue.

Status:
False

Example:(Submitted July 2007)
Just in case, please be careful.

Subject: Optical mouse can cause cancer

The convinience of using optical mouse eventually coz dangerous side effect. After Three years from the first launch by microsoft, have been found thousand of cases - hands tissue coz by mouse radiation.

Optical Mouse works by release Electromagnetic high frequency to the lower surface under it. This frequency much more higher than the frequency use for handphone.

As it has been known that human hand and wrist contains lot of important nerve connected to brain.

According to WHO, the radiation from Optical Mouse is 5 times stonger than using handphone.

These radiation is even worse for those product with lower quality ( non branded mouse ), since they use weaker shield to protect customer wrist. WHO, GreenPeace, and CNN have stopped the usage of Optical mouse in their whole office.

Meanwhile Microsoft and IBM have allocate 2 billion of US Dollar, in joint venture to make a safer pointing device.

Big Hardware Industries in China and Taiwan are trying to hide all fact related to this things. While in the market, most of optical mouse sold old were coming from their product.

To avoid this, try to reduce using mouse. learn how to use hot key ( i.e. Ctrl-V, CTRL-C for paste and copy ) Use back your old model of mouse ( with the tracking ball).



Commentary:
According to this "warning" email, using an optical mouse can have dangerous side effects and cause cancer due to the amount of radiation produced by the devices. The message claims that there have been thousands of cases of hand tissue damage attributed to optical mouse radiation.

However, the claims in the message are fundamentally flawed. Optical mice do not emit radiation that could cause cancer or damage tissue. An optical mouse has a tiny built-in camera that takes thousands of photographs per second. A red light emitting diode (LED) bounces light off the underlying surface to a sensor that analyzes the images and sends coordinates to the computer. The cursor is moved on the screen based on the coordinates received.

Thus, the core component of an optical mouse is a simple LED. Nowadays, LEDs are ubiquitous and are used in dozens of electronic devices including indicator lights in household appliances, digital clocks, remote controls, traffic lights, brake lights, television backlighting, Christmas lights, watches and fiber optics. Many of us spend our lives virtually surrounded by these tiny lights. Yet, in spite of the fact that we are exposed to LEDs almost constantly, there is no reliable information whatsoever that suggests that LED "radiation" can cause cancer or tissue damage during normal use. In fact, scientists have discovered that LEDs may actually aid healing and have other positive health effects.

yes they do!! and no they ain't!!!

greens on the way!! I had no such information and confirmation until now!! I had to find out the hard way through deductive reasoning... I'm far more inclined to believe the first part as I'm living proof and that is just too much irony to be believed..

and sends coordinates to the computer

This is the part that is in question not the lighted camera taking pictures it's how the signal is transmitted that is in question, it ain't by light it's by radio..

the second part of your quote is moronic (not you, the writers suggestion) though it sounds like complete Thai style BS. I know better from personal experience they're covering their ass..

so far I have been using a wired mouse that uses LED it has no ball it has a light source but it's not the same as the wireless, it only detects the position on the pad and sends that by wire to the computer so not as intense I believe based on what I'm seeing..

i'm certain now more than ever it's not the light being emitted but the radio waves..

My wireless mouse has to send that signal somehow, I can locate the receiver behind my desk and it can pick up the signal. now that's one strong frigging signal anyway you look at it so it's no doubt it can penetrate your skin and bone right next to it and that also doesn't sound like a infrared mouse either as I don't see how it could penetrate solid objects that way if it were..

anyway go on using it,I won't be and I'm not sending any emails around just sharing my own personal experience so be blinded or take someones word for it who has personal experience the choice is yours..

including indicator lights in household appliances, digital clocks, remote controls, traffic lights, brake lights, television backlighting, Christmas lights, watches and fiber optics. Many of us spend our lives virtually surrounded by these tiny lights. Yet, in spite of the fact that we are exposed to LEDs almost constantly

and not a single one of these are in close operating contact like a mouse is..

there is no reliable information whatsoever that suggests that LED "radiation" can cause cancer or tissue damage during normal use.

the old mainstay fallback position.. they always fall back on this just like the cigarette companies did for decades , i'm here to tell you it's horse shi*!

In fact, scientists have discovered that LEDs may actually aid healing and have other positive health effects.

maybe they do in moderation or in certain circumstances so do lasers but I wouldn't want to sit under one intense enough to burn your skin for any length of time like the ones they use for laser skin treament for example.... it's senseless to make such a broad statement..