ETH Zurich D-ITET Masters Students and VetClinics-UZH Faculty Visit Zurich43

A group of about 30 master students from the Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering (D-ITET) of the ETH Zurich visited Zurich43 for a morning seminar on "Non-ionising radiation: a health risk from low doses?". The visit was part of the course "Energy, Resources, Environment: Risks and Prospects" taught by Dr. Thomas Flüeler.

The seminar started with an introduction by Dr. Flüeler, followed by a lecture on "Research on risk assessment, definition of threshold values and latest procedures for type tests of 4G/5G devices and medicinal implants" presented by Niels Kuster and Sven Kühn of the IT'IS Foundation.

The students were next treated to a tour of the IT’IS research facilities, with stops at the Yellow Chamber, ICEy and TDS probes, and the AllyPally phantoms, followed by a break for refreshments.

The seminar resumed after the break with presentations by guest lecturers, starting with Dr. Edith Steiner MD of the Basel-based group Ärztinnen und Ärzte für Umweltschutz (AefU), speaking on "Electromagnetic fields and health". Prof. Michael Hässig of the Vetsuisse Faculty Zurich then presented his work on the "Impact of electromagnetic radiation on calves". After a question and answer session, the seminar continued with a lecture by Cornelia Semadeni on "Electromagnetic fields – health – politics: The perspective of Ärztinnen und Ärzte für Umweltschutz (AefU)".

The morning concluded with a discussion of risk concepts and how to balance a permissive approach that allows the use and proliferation of new technologies until a danger from those technologies is identified with a more measured approach that emphasizes the importance of safety testing and proof of compliance with standards before market release of new devices.

Niels Kuster introducing the use of OTA phantoms in EMF studies

Sven Kuehn discussing standards and compliance concepts

Niccolò Baldoni showing a wrist phantom