When Frank de Vocht quipped about a “single guy typing furiously in his basement,” his sarcasm seemed aimed to trivialize not only my concerns about microwave safety but my entire life’s work. I won’t deny that sarcasm has its place—but when a public figure, trusted with shaping health guidelines, dismisses legitimate caution so lightly, the implications stretch far beyond a snarky tweet. It becomes a statement about whether a commitment to safety and innovation can be brushed aside with sarcasm.
This isn’t about bruised egos. It’s about the truth of my journey—about how losing my firstborn child, Angel Leigh Coates, ignited a quarter-century crusade to ensure no other parent suffers a similar grief. It’s about bridging the gap between academic theories and real-world engineering to create safer technologies. And yes, it’s about clarifying that I’ve spent my life learning, inventing, and advocating—not from a basement, but from labs, universities, boardrooms, and every place in between.
A Promise Forged in Tragedy
In 1995, I lost Angel, my firstborn daughter, to a birth defect. Two years later, a study emerged showing a 300% increase in that same defect. At that instant, I vowed if I ever discovered what may have caused her condition, I’d dedicate my life to ensuring others wouldn’t endure the same loss. That vow birthed RF Safe in 1998, a platform—and eventually a movement—devoted to educating the public about wireless radiation risks and championing designs that reduce exposure without stifling innovation.
I am not a basement conspirator; I’m a father, an engineer, an innovator, and a student of science whose mission is fueled by a tragedy no parent should know.
The Fabric of My Work: Study, Engineering, and Innovation
I enrolled in college full-time at 15—well before I could drive—and have since immersed myself in a spectrum of engineering disciplines:
- RF Engineering: Developing antenna arrays, belly bands, and other products first to market, always guided by the principle: protect, don’t pollute.
- Automotive & Electrical Engineering: Understanding mechanical systems, electronics, and their intersection with human safety.
- Light-Based Communications: Recently patenting a Li-Fi system that exploits light frequency photons (rather than microwave radiation) for data transmission, with germicidal properties to boot—showcasing how forward-thinking design can serve both connectivity and health.
Over these decades, I’ve collaborated with some of the world’s brightest minds—like the late Dr. Myron Evans at the Alpha Institute for Advanced Study—and confronted the insular pitfalls that can accompany academic or institutional single-mindedness. Indeed, no technology exists in a vacuum; each breakthrough must be tested against how it impacts living organisms and our shared environment.
“Basement Guy” or Public Health Advocate?
When Frank de Vocht mocks microwave safety guidelines, I see a reflection of the very attitude that has kept regulatory bodies reliant on outdated “thermal-only” thresholds. This dismissiveness:
- Undermines Public Trust: A core advisor who ridicules basic safety memos cannot inspire confidence that he’ll champion more rigorous, precautionary RF standards.
- Ignores Emerging Science: Dismissing microwave concerns might foreshadow ignoring the deeper non-thermal impacts cited in numerous peer-reviewed studies—ranging from oxidative stress to neurological issues.
Regrettably, sarcasm doesn’t vanish evidence; it only stifles discourse. Genuine progress demands open, respectful dialogue, listening to real concerns, and updating guidelines as new data emerges.
The Need for Safer Paths: Li-Fi and Beyond
My most recent patent in light-based communications (Li-Fi) exemplifies what’s possible when we look beyond microwave frequencies:
- No Deep Tissue Penetration: Photons in the visible/UV range don’t burrow into living cells like microwaves can, reducing the likelihood of bioelectric disruption.
- Germicidal Dual Function: Far-UVC frequencies can sterilize the air while transmitting data, merging connectivity with public-health benefits.
- Harmonizing with Nature: Light-based systems align more closely with biological tolerances, offering a blueprint for the next wave of safer, eco-friendly technologies.
It’s not about destroying or banning existing systems but enhancing them with innovation that respects biology and the environment.
A Legacy Rooted in Love and Resolve
I do this—every design, every study, every published word—because I still hear the promise I made to Angel. This vow doesn’t end with petty online feuds; it underlies every product I create, every patent I secure, and every challenge I pose to outdated standards.
Time has taught me that truly life-altering progress doesn’t come from ridiculing the conscientious but from embracing their questions and expanding our scientific and moral horizons. It’s the difference between acting as a gatekeeper of obsolete norms and serving as a guide to tomorrow’s solutions.
Moving Forward with Dignity and Collaboration
Ultimately, I hope my response helps refocus the discussion on what truly matters: public health, scientific integrity, and responsible innovation. I’ll continue:
- Promoting Education: So that consumers, policymakers, and researchers alike can weigh new data and act accordingly.
- Encouraging Openness: Engaging respectfully, even with those who doubt or deride, because every concern might hold a clue to deeper truths.
- Developing Safer Technologies: Demonstrating that we can keep pushing connectivity’s boundaries without pushing biology to its brink.
Rising Above the Basement
Yes, I type from a computer—as do many innovators, researchers, and advocates around the globe—but not in darkness. Each keystroke echoes the light of knowledge, the fire of personal loss, and the determination to guard future generations from harm. If that dedication is what some choose to deride, so be it; I know whom I serve: the memory of my child, the curious public, and the hope that technology can evolve without overshadowing human welfare.
We stand at a crossroads—between mocking caution and welcoming it, between clinging to the old or pioneering the new. The road I choose is lit not by sarcasm, but by logic, compassion, and unwavering commitment.
That isn’t a basement confession; it’s a life’s purpose.
The journey hasn’t always been easy or polite, but it has been driven by a singular aspiration: to bridge knowledge and empathy, ensuring our pursuit of advancement never loses sight of those it’s meant to serve.
“True science is never confined to a single room; it spans a lifetime, a promise, and sometimes the heartbreak that drives us to protect others.”