Intel Linux Driver Orphaned For Limiting RF Exposure To Humans
Intel Linux driver for limiting RF exposure to humans is being orphaned due to departures from the company.
Intelligence analysis by Qwen 2.5 (3B)
The Intel Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) driver, used to regulate RF power from Intel M.2 modems, is being orphaned as Intel exits the modem business.
The Intel driver helps keep your laptop safe by making sure the radio signals from your modem don't hurt you too much.
Analysis
{"heading":"The Background of the Intel SAR Driver","content":["The Intel Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) driver has been a part of the Linux kernel since 2021, initially added in Linux 5.15.","The driver is used to limit the exposure of the human body to radio frequency (RF) from Intel M.2 modems, ensuring safety and compliance with regulatory standards.","The driver is controlled via the INTEL_SAR_INT1092 Kconfig option and is dependent on user-space allocation for device attributes and SAR table index."]}
Key points
- The Intel SAR driver is used to regulate RF power from Intel M.2 modems.
- The driver is controlled via the INTEL_SAR_INT1092 Kconfig option.
- The driver is dependent on user-space allocation for device attributes and SAR table index.
The orphaning of the driver may lead to alternative solutions being developed to ensure safety and compliance with regulations.
Without the driver, users who rely on it for safety reasons may face issues, especially if they have older hardware that doesn't have alternative solutions.