Interference voltage measurement and analysis of cardiac implants exposed to electric fields at extremely low frequency.

Objective. The possibility of interference by electromagnetic fields in the workplaces with cardiac implants is a concern for both individuals and employers. This article presents an analysis of the interference to which cardiac implants are subjected under high-intensity electric field at the power frequency. Approach. Evaluations of interference were conducted by studying the induced voltages at the device input in the real case study and the substitute study, and establishing an association between them with the equivalence factor F . A funnel-shaped phantom, designed for in vitro testing and representing the electrical characteristics of the locations where cardiac implants are installed, was used in the substitute study. A measuring system was implemented to measure the induced voltage at the device input under high intensity electric fields. Main results. The induced voltages obtained in the experimental measurements align with the findings of the numerical study in the phantom. By applying the equivalence factors derived between the real case study and the substitute study (2.39 for unipolar sensing; 3.64 for bipolar sensing), the induced voltages on the cardiac implants can be determined for the real case using the substitute experimental set-up. Significance. The interference voltages on the cardiac implants under electric field exposures at low frequency were experimentally measured with detailed description. The findings provide evidence for an analysis method to systematically study the electromagnetic interference on the cardiac implants at low frequency.