While there is indeed a real 2001 U.S. patent that describes “nervous system manipulation” via screens, it’s a great example of why having a patent doesn’t necessarily mean the technology works—or that it’s actually being used on you.
The Patent in Question
The document you’re referring to is U.S. Patent 6,506,148 B2, titled “Nervous system manipulation by electromagnetic fields from monitors.” It was filed in 2001 by an inventor named Hendricus G. Loos.
- The Claim: The patent suggests that computer monitors and TV screens can emit weak electromagnetic fields that, if pulsed at specific low frequencies (like 1/2 Hz or 2.4 Hz), can excite “sensory resonances” in a nearby person.
- The Reported Effects: It claims these pulses could induce physiological responses like drowsiness, relaxation, or even “sexual excitement” by interacting with the skin’s sensory nerves.
- The Inventor: Hendricus Loos is a bit of a mystery. He holds several similar patents regarding remote nervous system manipulation, but he has almost no presence in mainstream academic or scientific communities.
Why You Can Breathe Easy
Before you toss your TV out the window, there are a few major “reality checks” to consider:
- Patents $\neq$ Proven Science: The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) does not require a working prototype or proof that an invention actually works. They primarily check if the idea is novel (new) and non-obvious. You can theoretically patent a time machine or a teleporter as long as your specific technical “design” hasn’t been filed before.
- The “CRT” Factor: This patent was specifically written with CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitors in mind—the big, heavy, boxy screens from the 90s. Those screens worked by firing electron beams at a phosphorus-coated glass, creating much stronger electromagnetic fields. Modern LCD and OLED screens (like your phone or flat-screen TV) operate on entirely different physics and emit almost negligible electromagnetic fields in those frequency ranges.
- The Distance Problem: Even if the theory were true, electromagnetic fields drop off in strength incredibly fast (following the inverse-cube law). To have even a tiny chance of “exciting a nerve,” you’d likely need to be pressed up against a high-power CRT monitor for a long period—not just sitting across the room on a sofa.
- No Peer Review: There are no peer-reviewed, independent scientific studies that have ever replicated Loos’s findings or proven that low-frequency screen pulsing can bypass your conscious mind to control your nervous system.
Bottom Line: The patent is a fascinating piece of “fringe science” history, but it’s widely regarded by the scientific community as pseudo-science. Your TV might influence you through psychology (like a sad movie or a persuasive ad), but it isn’t “hacking” your nerves with invisible rays.
