THE US Food and Drug Administration has decided that running an Ipod is unlikely to interfere with heart pacemakers.

Apparently this had been a great fear amongst those who had pacemakers. It could be a bit of an inconvenience if you are sitting next to someone playing Coldplay on their iPod on the train and suddenly keel over.

Last year heart experts ran an Ipod during a patient's examination and claimed they had seen interference with the pacemaker.

At issue was was whether or not an iPod produced enough of a magnetic field to tigger a pacemaker.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, FDA researcher Howard Bassen set up a complex experiment involving a bag full of salt water to simulate the human body and a coil sensor designed to pick up electromagnetic emissions.

They tested four different Ipod models and measured the voltages delivered to the inside of the pacemaker by the magnetic fields from the devices.

All their measurements indicated the Ipods could not affect cardiac pacemakers. Particularly if you are made of salt water.

One thing that is odd is that the FDA only tested Apple gear. It was almost as if it had been lobbied to give Ipods the all clear.

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