Protect Electronics And Information With Electromagnetic Shielding

We cannot actually see or feel them, but all electrical and electronic appliances are surrounded by an invisible line of force, called electromagnetic (EM) fields. In our homes, for example, appliances as well the wiring that powers those appliances constantly emanate disruptive electromagnetic energy. These invisible waves are essentially toxic, and over-exposure to them can have negative effects on our health. Electrical grids, Wi-Fi and Wi-Max Internet infrastructure and mobile phones and their antenna infrastructure constantly radiate electromagnetic waves, badly affecting an already polluted environment. Electromagnetic shielding (EM shielding) is a process that helps reduce the amount of radiation in a given space. It is aimed at isolating sensitive electrical devices from the outside world. Conductive or magnetic materials are used to create an obstruction between the sources of toxic emission and the surface to be protected. The dramatic rise in the use of electronic appliances calls for a more wide-ranging adoption of this technology.

Three Major Areas of Applications

1. Electronic Devices: EM shielding consisting of metallic mesh is leveraged to prevent electromagnetic interference (EMI) from affecting sophisticated electronics devices such as smartphones. A protective net is placed to spate disturbing components from each other inside such gadgets. As far as smartphones are concerned, a metallic shield is used to create barrier between electronic components and its cellular transmitter and receiver. These protective barriers also reduce the emission of radio frequency (RF) energy, subsequently lowering user’s exposure to them.
2. Computer Systems: An air gap or air wall is a kind of network security tactics that can be used to physically isolate computers from public Internet networks, blocking its access through local area networks (LANs). Air-gapping technique is massively used in sectors dealing with sensitive information. These measures are hugely utilized by military, government and large financial houses across the globe. Journalists and activists also leverage this network security technique to securely store information. However, there are instances to prove that sometime this blocking measure falls flat in the face of more organized and sophisticated attacks. Cyber cons often exploit the electromagnetic emanations of the system’s sound card to hack it open. EM shielding provides an additional layer of security and helps increase the security of air-gapped systems.
3. Aviation Systems: With the growing use of complex electronic and wireless devices onboard by crew and passengers, aircrafts are evolving into sophisticated computing platforms. Against this backdrop, more and more aerospace engineers are implementing EM shielding technologies to mitigate interference from lightning, solar flares, radiation, and avionics equipment. In military aviation, EM shielding is used to jam radar and communications equipment during covert missions and wars. The inter-governmental military alliance, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) reportedly leverages this technology to prevent password-hacking.

One of the major advantages of electromagnetic shielding is, it is a noninvasive procedure, and as result, does not affect operational speed of devices or computer systems. To be effective, shielding should be applied at the source of the disturbance.

Elvis Moore is an active blogger with an extensive industry experience in the field of electronics and technology.