How would you assess electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) for a vibrotactile wearable used in rehab?

• A. Visual inspection of shielding material.
• B. EMC testing per IEC 60601-1-2, including radiated and conducted emissions, immunity tests, and proper shielding.
• C. Battery capacity test.
• D. Only software tests for EMI.

Answer: (B)

Understanding electromagnetic compatibility means confirming that the vibrotactile rehab wearable does not generate disruptive electromagnetic energy and can operate reliably in typical medical environments. The best approach is to perform EMC testing according to IEC 60601-1-2, which covers radiated emissions, conducted emissions, immunity tests, and requires appropriate shielding and filtering in the design. Radiated emissions testing checks how much energy the device emits into the surrounding space, ensuring it won’t interfere with nearby medical equipment. Conducted emissions testing looks at noise conducted back onto power lines, which could affect other devices or the power system. Immunity tests simulate external disturbances the device might encounter in clinics or at home—such as ESD, RF fields, and other transients—and verify that the device keeps functioning safely. Shielding is an important design factor to help meet these limits, but the EMC assessment itself is about measuring whether the device meets the standard’s limits and remains safe and reliable in real-world use. Visual inspection alone cannot quantify emissions or immunity, battery capacity tests don’t address EMC, and software testing alone misses the hardware interactions that drive EMI/EMC performance.