It's very hard to design a device that can reliably tell that it has not been damaged in a way that hurts the user.
We have this with regular socket power too; if live and ground are shorted, connecting the device will shut off power to prevent the user from any harm due to a charged casing. There is no feedback other than "everything stopped working" because the GFI cannot tell if the situation is cleared without putting up power and potentially harming the user.
Think of the other scenario, the stimulator gets damaged, switches back on and kills the user. Pacemaker could do the exact same, if it's damaged it could kill the user very easily.
> Think of the other scenario, the stimulator gets damaged, switches back on and kills the user. Pacemaker could do the exact same, if it's damaged it could kill the user very easily.
I was talking to a guy who's implanted defibrillator failed a while back.
It shorted out and started shocking him as fast as the capacitor(?) could recharge. It was shocking him, his nephew, the EMTs and ER staff until they finally got the thing shut off. His doctor was saying he's really, really lucky to be alive.
"If an ICD hasn't been turned off and starts to fire, holding a magnet right over the device will temporarily disable it and keep it from delivering multiple shocks. Some hospice programs give magnets to families who are taking care of a hospice patient with an ICD at home."
The ethical solution to human life critical systems is to make them 100% open. The user should have complete access, even to things we suspect are not necessary, like masks themselves. Our courts can handle this. Demanding it once you need it wont work.
We have this with regular socket power too; if live and ground are shorted, connecting the device will shut off power to prevent the user from any harm due to a charged casing. There is no feedback other than "everything stopped working" because the GFI cannot tell if the situation is cleared without putting up power and potentially harming the user.
Think of the other scenario, the stimulator gets damaged, switches back on and kills the user. Pacemaker could do the exact same, if it's damaged it could kill the user very easily.