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Just in time for the apocalypse, it’s a Bluetooth-enabled radiation detector

Just in time for the apocalypse, it’s a Bluetooth-enabled radiation detector

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Worried about how you’ll keep safe when nuclear bombs have turned the world into an irradiated hellscape? Fretting about finding the right direction to travel in to escape the inevitable radiation sickness? Well, fuss no more: the Internet of Things has your back, with this handy, wearable, Bluetooth-enabled, app-supported, personal radiation tracker.

It’s called the Dosime, and no, it’s not actually designed for the apocalypse (though it would presumably come in useful) but for people worried about their health. Dosime’s parent company, radiation safety firm Mirion Technologies, warns that one in every three Americans live within 50 miles of a nuclear power plant, and this device will allow them to “detect and report real-time radiation exposure in their homes” and “ensure peace of mind.”

The Dosime app will track radiation on-the-go and send you notifications if you move into a dangerous area.
The Dosime app will track radiation on-the-go and send you notifications if you move into a dangerous area.

That one-in-three stat is completely accurate and, in fact, it’s probably an understatement. Data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in 2000 suggests that 184 million US citizens live within 50 miles of a nuclear power plant — that’s closer to 60 percent of the population. However, the effects of this sort of ambient radiation exposure are far less drastic than people think. A year’s worth of background radiation from living 50 miles from a nuclear power plant is also only a third of the radiation from living 50 miles away from a coal power plant, and that itself is 133 times less radiation than you get from a single flight from New York to LA.

That said, the Dosime does seem like a good option if you’re determined to worry about those rads. The device can be either stored in a cradle to monitor background radiation in your house, or clipped to your clothes when you venture outside. It scans every four seconds for X-rays and gamma rays, and connects via Bluetooth to an app on your phone, sending you an alert if the situation becomes unsafe. Just imagine: a mobile notification for nuclear disaster.

The Dosime costs $249 and will go on sale early in 2017. If you can’t wait till then you can always buy military-grade equipment that does basically the same thing for $150, but, without an app.