Joystick electrical field output

[SSI01]

I received a biventricular heart pacemaker/defibrillator implant on June 5. Earlier this week I got the owner's manual telling me about the various devices I must avoid using, or exercise caution around. There are quite a few I can use, and some that must be outright avoided (induction cooktops and arc welders, for instance). Those I must exercise caution around (i.e., cell phones, microwave ovens) must be kept a minimum of 6" away from the device, and a foot is better. Magnets have to be avoided altogether, even those within stereo speakers, a foot separation at least from those.

My question involves how much of an electrical field a joystick generates, on average, with allowances for differences caused by make/model etc. I'm using a "Thrustmaster" 18-button joystick with sliding throttle. There's no way this thing is within 12" of my upper left chest,, where the implant is. If there is anyone on the forum with some experience in this matter I'd like to get the benefit of their experience or opinion.

[aeromed202]

Reaching back to class lectures and the like, I would have to say that based on the wire gauges and generally low electrical currents connected with joysticks and mice, the field must be extremely weak. Try contacting a PC tech/service store as they probably know the values you are looking for or maybe contact your doctor again ask about those specific items.

[OBIO]

I am not a medical expert, nor an electrical engineer...so anything I say should be taken as if it came from a total moron.

Now that the disclaimer is out of the way:

Mice and joysticks are powered with a meager 5 volts. 5 volts. I doubt that enough of a magnetic/electrical field can be generated by a 5 volt device to interfere with a pace maker.

Now, taking a pee on a 110 volt weed burner electric fence.....that will DEFINITELY interfere with a pace maker. Luckily, when I pee'd on that fence, I didn't have a pace maker.....but it sure did teach me a lesson. NEVER EVER PEE ON A 110 VOLT WEED BURNER ELECTRIC FENCE!

OBIO

Okay..did a little internet slouthing. The American Heart Association site states that office equipment (including computers) do not pose a risk to pace makers or the pulses they emit. They did however mention that MP3 player headphones (and probably headphones in general) can pose a slight risk. I would say your mouse and joystick are safe to use....but if you use a head set, do not get the headset close to your chest as headphones contain some pretty strong magnets and generate some serious magnetic fields. The American Heart Association said to keep MP3 headphone at least 1.2 inches from your chest.....I would assume that larger headphone sets should be kept farther away due to the larger magnets and magnetic fields in them.

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Condit...13_Article.jsp

[SSI01]

Thanks, and I appreciate the input. My device has a service center reached via 1-800 service and I'll give them a ring Monday. Running it by this forum would make sense as the folks here probably know more about the devices in question than the service center.

[pfflyers]

Gotta second OBIO's advice regarding electric fences, when I was a kid my cousins and I dared each other to pee on one. Got quite a jolt, all the more startling given the sensitivity of the body part involved. I'd recommend you stay well clear of those.

[Willy]

I'd think that with the small amount of current in a joystick, any danger to a pacemaker would be minimal.

I'll third that peeing on an electrical fence will make you smarter. At least when I was kid and did it, it made me smart enough to not do it again.