Short Time Duty - Human Applications

Human Applications

The concept of short time duty is easy to understand when referred to human beings in medical applications both somatic (body) as well as psychological (mind). The analogy with devices is useful to better understand both type of applications and should not be underestimated as if human beings were much better than their machines or devices: in this case a short time duty prevents from diseases.

The best example is the radiation exposure (X-rays, gamma-radiation or particle radiation) for which a maximum short-time-, as well as a cumulative year-, and a life-dose are well defined for every type of radiation in order to avoid cancer (e.g. maximum number of dental X-rays per year). In this case the maximum load of the definition is represented by the dose (see also Radiation Safety). A controversial field is the uses of mobile (cellular) phones, for which there are not yet proven damages has for smoking or drugs.

Another simple example of well defined short time duty are the exposure times of sunscreen lotions (in this the case the load is also the electromagnetic radiation dose but its energy is just weaker and its frequency is shorter, i.e. ultra-violet light UV).
A last good example are allergies: in this case the load is the concentration of the allergic substance and the short time duty is depending on many factors like age, genetics, medical condition and so on.

Besides this somatic examples many everyday situations can influence the correct operating of human beings: a stressing situation (an annoying noise or even mobbing at work) can be tolerated for a certain short time "duty" (some seconds or days depending on its impact and on patience), but thereafter it can make irritable or bear to a serious depression.