Nanofixit

More and more restaurants have started using mobile technologies to improve their service and efficiency when serving customers. Such devices could be POS systems, tablet menus, and remote card payment machines. Other mobile devices are being used to manage food preperation and safety in accordance with inspection regulations.

The problem however, lies in the way staff and customers are sharing screens while at the same time handling food. Germs and bacteria can easily transfer from one hand to another through these surfaces.

How dirty are the screens?

Scientists have found that the average cell phone is 10 times dirtier than a toilet seat and you will find some of the worst bacteria such as Streptococcus Aureus, MRSA, and E. Coli thriving on the surface of your screen. People are especially at risk when touching hands or other surfaces and then touching their own screens afterwards. This problem gets even worse when brought into the restaurant industry as well as other food and bevarage handling services using new technology.

How can you prevent germs from being transferred from one person to another?

1. Stop bringing your phone to the toilet

Research has shown that bringing your phone to the toilet (althugh very handy if you want to pass the time) also means you are at risk of exposing your screen to E. Coli bacteria found in your stool. Even if you don’t see it, flushing your toilet sends thousands of particles into the air and lands around your toilet where you phone or tablet might be residing.

2. Clean or sanitize your hands often

After toilet visits (also in nature) don’t forget to clean or sanitize your hands. Problem is that sanitizers often dry out peoples skin and many are not comfortable using them.

3. Clean your devices often

This is something most people fail to do. Many just tend to brush off their cellphones in a piece of cloth or in their shirt. This however, will not kill the germs and bacteria hiding on your screen but only make it “look” shiny and clean again. If you are a “cleaning freak” you might bring with you an alcohol sanitizer and clean your screen every so often. The problem is that many of these germs and bacteria will only come back as soon as you touch someones hands or other dirty surfaces and then touch your phone or device again.

4. Use a self cleaning coating

Yes, you heard it right. There are actually self-cleaning coatings out there based on Nano particles, which can actively kill germs and bacteria on a cell phone or other surfaces. Particles such as Titanium Dioxide or Silver react in a special way at the Nanoscale and are able to wipe out the bacteria as soon as the coated surface is exposed to light.

There are many reasons to be scared about high exposure to cell phone radiation. Most people constantly carry their phones around with them in pockets or sleep next to them in bed. But what people don’t realize is that cell phones emit radiation, which has been suspected of causing various health risks such as brain cancer and infertility.

According to http://www.cdc.gov there are 3 main ways to protect oneself from dangerous exposure to radiation.

1.    Time – how much time do you spend near a radiation source such as a         cellphone.

2.    Distance – how close are you to the radiation source.

3.    Shielding – put something between you and the radiation source.

 Before a new mobile phone enters the market it is required to undergo a so-called SAR test measuring the rate of radio frequency energy (RF) absorbed by the body. The FCC limits the SAR level of cellphones to 1.6 watts per kilogram (1.6 W/kg). A lot of cell phone brands are already emitting high levels of radiation and even then it is not always a safe measure to rely on such values to know the real exposure to RF.

 Many people mistakenly assume that using a cell phone with a lower reported SAR value necessarily decreases a user’s exposure to RF emissions, or is somehow “safer” than using a cell phone with a high SAR value, according to FCC.

 We have collected some of the most popular guidelines to follow, enable for you to minimize exposure to cell phone radiation.

 Time  

1.    Limit the time you spend on calls and only call if absolutely necessary. Scientific research has identified a dose-response relationship between the time you spend on your cell phone and the risk of disease – the longer you spend on your phone the higher your risk of disease. These exposures are regarded as cumulative.

2.    Limit the time you spend near your cell phone. Most people take their phones to bed and sleep next to them all night. Studies show that cell phone radiation can interfere with sleep cycles and contribute to a host of sicknesses like: irritation of allergies, heart palpitations, muscle pain etc. These exposures can hinder the function of the immune system, reduce the production of melatonin and other hormones and have severe long-term adverse consequences.

3.    Turn your phone off when not using it. Simply switch to flight mode in situations where your cell phone is not needed e.g. due to bad reception. Some phones can ramp up their emissions 1000-fold in areas where the signal is poor. This means that for each signal bar that is missing your exposure increases several hundred times.

Distance

1.     Use a headset rather than holding your phone directly next to your head. Research has linked high exposure to cell phone radiation with cancer and infertility. Instead of making phone calls use text messaging. See CNN report here

2.     Keep your phone away from sensitive body parts. Some woman carry their phones in the bra, which could potentially expose them to breast cancer. For guys it is more likely that they carry their phones in the pocket right next to their male reproductive organs. This has been linked to infertility in men. Dr. Devre Davis explains in this video.

Shielding

1.     Put something between you and the radiation source. This could be in the shape of a radiation shield that diverts the radiation away from your vital body parts.

2.     Wear a tin foil hat, amulets and other alternative, but scientifically untested, methods and cross your fingers you wont be affected in the long run.

3.     The important thing is to always look for products that have been thoroughly studied using the latest methods in testing. There are many shielding devices in the market claiming they will protect you from radiation but only a few of them have the scientific data to prove their claims.