Electronic equipment manufacturers go to a great deal of trouble to prevent this type of electrostatic discharge from damaging their equipment. Equipment chassis are designed to have shielding qualities (somewhat like a Faraday cage), and internal components are manufactured to have some degree of immunity to whatever discharge is able to penetrate the internal circuitry. Like natural lightning though, electrostatic discharge can be unpredictable and difficult to always control safely. MuAnalysis is a company that provides failure analysis for the electronics industry. The image at right was taken by them and illustrates the type of damage that can be caused when conditions are right (or wrong if you're the equipment owner). The microscopic branch-like structures were made in an integrated circuit by electrons taking an undesired path to find counterpart positive charges. This type of damage is very destructive to the circuit's integrity, and will usually lead to unreliable operation or complete failure.

Now that I've given you one more thing to worry about in your life let me at least offer a few helpful tips to minimize, if not completely eliminate, the risk:

• Any electronic equipment that has a 3-prong power cord should be plugged into a grounded, 3-prong type receptacle. This will allow the design of the equipment to function correctly by providing the proper path for the offending electrons.

• If practical and affordable, use a humidifier during the dry winter months to create a favorable humidity level in the environment where you use your equipment. If you have a humidity gauge (these are inexpensive now in electronic form) try to maintain a minimum level of 35-40% relative.

• Use anti-static sheets when drying your clothes. These will leave a residual protection to minimize the charge generated by your clothing. If you have a fabric desk chair you can also rub down the material with a new sheet to give some protection as well. These sheets work by reducing the type of friction that causes electron transfer.

• Carpeting may also be treated in a similar way. There are many products available that do the same to your carpeting as dryer sheets do to your clothes. These products are inexpensive, easy to apply, and non-toxic. The applications do need to be repeated periodically, however, do to traffic wear.

• If you like to work on your own equipment always use an anti-static wrist-strap (clipped to the metal chassis) to equalize the charge between your hands and whatever circuit parts they touch.

• I'm a cat lover, but it's never a good idea to let them help with that memory upgrade. Their fur is an excellent static producer and not desirable around exposed circuitry. Give them a toy to play with elsewhere and close the door to your work room. They'll still love you when you return!

• Finally, you can be obsessive like me and discharge yourself each time before touching your equipment when the air is excessively dry. You don't need your own grounding plate though. If your wall receptacles are correctly grounded then touching the plate screw of a nearby outlet will serve the same purpose. If your partner or spouse is understanding they won't think this behavior is too weird as long as you just explain it to them first. They may even get into the habit themselves.  :-)