Japan firm unveils radiation-gauging smartphone

Many people in Japan remain concerned about radiation
Japan's Internet and mobile giant Softbank president Masayoshi Son introduces the world's first smartphone featuring a nuclear radiation detector, named 'Pantone 5,' produced by electronics giant Sharp, on May 29.

Mobile phone operator Softbank on Tuesday unveiled a smartphone that can measure radiation as consumers in Japan clamour for reassurance following last year's Fukushima nuclear disaster.

The latest model in the firm's Pantone series comes complete with a sensor that enables users to see at the touch of a button how much radiation they are being exposed to.

The phone, which the company is putting on general sale from July, can also keep a record of exposure in every location the phone has been to, Softbank said in a statement, adding that it can detect gamma rays in a range of 0.05-9.99 microsieverts per hour.

Japan's top operator at a tech fair last year showcased a smartphone with a changeable "jacket" that measures . DoCoMo at that time said they were undecided on the product's commercial launch.

Many people in Japan remain concerned about radiation since the 9.0-magnitude quake and tsunami of March 2011 sparked the world's worst nuclear crisis in a generation at the Fukushima .

Worries over the health implications of the radioactive leak have sent demand for radiation-measuring devices soaring in Japan

(c) 2012 AFP

Citation: Japan firm unveils radiation-gauging smartphone (2012, May 29) retrieved 18 March 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2012-05-japan-firm-unveils-radiation-gauging-smartphone.html
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Japan carrier unveils smartphone radiation gauge

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