{
  "id": "emitters:bluetooth-earbuds",
  "collection": "emitters",
  "slug": "bluetooth-earbuds",
  "name": "Bluetooth earbuds and headsets",
  "summary": "Class 2 Bluetooth transmits about 2.5 mW — roughly 1/80th of a phone's cellular uplink maximum — but does so a centimetre from the head, so the relevant metric is again SAR rather than power density.",
  "status": "verified",
  "lastVerified": "2026-08-12",
  "data": {
    "aliases": [
      "wireless earbuds",
      "AirPods radiation",
      "BT headset"
    ],
    "category": "radiofrequency",
    "environment": [
      "home",
      "workplace",
      "vehicle"
    ],
    "bands": [
      {
        "label": "2.4 GHz ISM",
        "minHz": 2400000000,
        "maxHz": 2483500000
      }
    ],
    "transmitPower": {
      "quantity": "power",
      "unit": "W EIRP",
      "value": 0.0025,
      "basis": "regulatory",
      "note": "2.5 mW is the Class 2 Bluetooth maximum used by most earbuds; Class 1 devices reach 100 mW.",
      "sourceIds": [
        "fcc-part15"
      ]
    },
    "dutyCycle": "Continuous while streaming audio; low-rate connection maintenance when idle.",
    "distanceProfile": [
      {
        "meters": 0.05,
        "value": {
          "quantity": "power-density",
          "unit": "µW/m²",
          "value": 79600,
          "basis": "computed",
          "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 0.0025 W, d = 0.05 m",
          "note": "Near-field geometry; treat as indicative. Manufacturer SAR filings are the authoritative figure at this range.",
          "sourceIds": [
            "fcc-part15"
          ]
        }
      },
      {
        "meters": 0.3,
        "value": {
          "quantity": "power-density",
          "unit": "µW/m²",
          "value": 2210,
          "basis": "computed",
          "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 0.0025 W, d = 0.3 m",
          "sourceIds": [
            "fcc-part15"
          ]
        }
      }
    ],
    "mitigations": [
      {
        "action": "Use wired earphones for long calls, or keep one earbud out.",
        "effect": "Eliminates the near-head transmitter entirely."
      },
      {
        "action": "Compare the earbud's published SAR against the phone's; the phone is usually the larger contributor.",
        "effect": "Prioritises the dominant source instead of the most-discussed one.",
        "sourceIds": [
          "fcc-eas"
        ]
      }
    ],
    "measureWith": [
      "broadband-rf-meter"
    ],
    "related": [
      "emitters:smartphone",
      "limits:fcc-sar-partial-body"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "id": "fcc-part15",
      "title": "47 CFR Part 15 — Radio Frequency Devices (unlicensed transmitter power limits)",
      "publisher": "U.S. Government Publishing Office (eCFR)",
      "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/part-15",
      "kind": "regulation",
      "retrieved": "2026-08-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "fcc-eas",
      "title": "Equipment Authorization Search (FCC ID lookup, includes SAR test reports)",
      "publisher": "Federal Communications Commission",
      "url": "https://www.fcc.gov/oet/ea/fccid",
      "kind": "government",
      "retrieved": "2026-08-12"
    }
  ],
  "links": {
    "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/bluetooth-earbuds",
    "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/bluetooth-earbuds",
    "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/bluetooth-earbuds.md",
    "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters"
  }
}