Combining Advanced Tools to Monitor RF-EMF Exposure in Next-Generation Telecommunication Networks

Technological advances in radiocommunications, such as adaptive antenna arrays, massive MIMO, and the use of ever higher frequencies, have resulted in an enormous boost in mobile data capacity. However, the inconclusive evidence on adverse health effects of our exposure to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (EMF) and possible unknown biological mechanisms, as well as the continuing anxiety of the general public concerning the rollout of telecommunication networks urge the need for accurate characterization of the EMF exposure in one's environment as well as over one's lifetime. In general, RF-EMF exposure can be divided in ambient (“involuntary”) and personal (“auto-induced”), and in far-field (EMF from base station radios and most devices not near the body) and near-field components (from devices used on or near the body, usually operated by oneself). These components can be evaluated using different tools and protocols, depending not only on the proximity of the source, but also on other characteristics, such as frequency, power, and modulation use. Even so, efforts have been made to combine them into a single exposure metric (e.g., a dose or a time-averaged metric based on the specific absorption rate (SAR)).