Have you ever been in a situation where your car key fob just wouldn’t unlock your car from a distance? You might have heard the trick: hold the key fob to your head, and suddenly, it magically works! It’s a common belief, but is there any truth to it? Does putting a key fob to your head actually improve its range, or is it just a quirky myth? Let’s dive into the science and separate fact from fiction.
The idea that holding your key fob to your head boosts its signal might seem plausible. After all, our bodies conduct electricity, and your head is a large, somewhat conductive mass. The theory suggests that by placing the key fob against your head, you’re somehow turning your head into an antenna, extending the range of the signal.
However, the reality is a bit more nuanced. The original observation of this trick working is often attributed to what’s known as selection bias. Imagine you try to unlock your car, and it doesn’t work. Then, you try holding the key fob to your head, and this time it works. It’s easy to conclude that putting the key fob to your head was the reason for the success. But what about all the times the key fob didn’t work even when held to your head, or times it did work normally without this ritual? These instances are easily forgotten, leading to a skewed perception.
This is similar to the old trick with Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) cartridges. If a game wasn’t working, kids would blow into the cartridge, reinsert it, and often, it would then work. The belief was that blowing on the cartridge fixed it.
XKCD comic about blowing on NES cartridges
In reality, removing and re-inserting the cartridge and rebooting the NES was likely the actual fix, simply by re-establishing the connection. The blowing was just a ritual that became associated with success. Similarly, with the key fob head trick, the successful unlocking might just be coincidental, happening due to random variations in signal transmission or simply because you tried again.
Now, let’s consider the technical side. It’s true that placing a key fob near your head will indeed alter its electromagnetic radiation. Your head, being somewhat conductive, can interact with the radio waves emitted by the fob’s antenna. It could theoretically change how the signal is transmitted.
Your head could act as a larger antenna, potentially making the signal more efficient. Conversely, because your head is less conductive than metal like copper, it could also make the antenna less effective. It’s even possible your head might act as a reflector, focusing the radio waves towards your car, or it could refract them away.
The crucial point is that we simply don’t have definitive scientific evidence to say whether putting a key fob to your head consistently improves its range. Most of the information available is anecdotal, based on personal experiences or hearsay. We lack rigorous studies conducted by RF engineers using proper testing equipment to confirm or deny this claim.
In conclusion, while it’s an interesting idea and a widely circulated tip, the effectiveness of putting a key fob to your head to increase its range remains scientifically unproven. It’s more likely a combination of selection bias, chance, and a touch of superstition. While your head might alter the signal in some way, whether that alteration consistently translates to improved range is still a question mark. For now, consider it an unconfirmed trick, and perhaps just try pressing the unlock button again – with or without your head involved!
