If you know someone who has an implanted defibrillator, you might want to caution them because according to a finding by a 14-year old by the name of Gianna Chien, it seems that the magnets used in Apple’s Smart Cover for the iPad can apparently turn off implanted defibrillators if the device is left on the user’s chest, which we guess is a likely situation when the person falls asleep while holding an iPad. This discovery was made as part of a science fair project, and while the project did not win first place, Chien will be presenting her findings in front of 8,000 doctors at a meeting of the Heart Rhythm Society in Denver.
While there are some defibrillators will turn themselves back on after the magnet has been removed, some need to be reactivated manually which we guess is pretty dangerous, especially since there is a good reason why some people have implanted defibrillators in the first place, making it a potentially life-threatening situation. Chien’s findings have found that 30% of patients with a defibrillator implanted in them have been affected by this.
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