On January 14, 2011 NorthWest EMC announced that it is offering SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) evaluations at their Hillsboro Oregon location. They have done a lot of work up front to make sure that their SAR evaluation equipment is accredited to an extensive list of accredited services. As there are more and more medical devices that fall into these requirements we are providing you this resource.
Their announcement continues on:
The FCC and other spectrum authorities around the world have adopted limits for exposure to radio frequency (RF) energy. For devices, such as cell phones, used closer than 20 cm to the head or body, the limits are given in terms of the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), which is a measure of radio frequency energy absorbed by the head or body. As part of the equipment authorization process, manufacturers are required to ensure that their devices comply with these limits for exposure. The FCC and Industry Canada limit for public exposure is a SAR level of 1.6 watts per kilogram (1.6 W/kg). The European Union and many other countries have a SAR limit of 2.0 W/kg.
Northwest EMC now has a state-of-the-art SAR lab located inside of a semi-anechoic chamber to maintain temperature control, eliminate influences from outside sources, and achieve the most accurate readings possible.