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Assessment of EMF Human Exposure Levels Due to Wearable Antennas at 5G Frequency Band

2022 · No effect · Low evidence

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No effectLow evidencePaper 597

Numerical simulations for wearable antennas tuned around 3.5 GHz and 26.5 GHz found the highest exposure values concentrated superficially just below the antenna, with distributions narrowing around peak values and decreasing in more distant anatomical region…

Study snapshot

Publicationmanual · 2022
Study typeexposure_assessment
Reported directionNo effect
Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Assessment of EMF Human Exposure Levels Due to Wearable Antennas at 5G Frequency Band Gallucci S, Bonato M, Benini M, Chiaramello E, Fiocchi S, Tognola G, Parazzini M. Assessment of EMF Human Exposure Levels Due to Wearable Antennas at 5G Frequency Band. Sensors (Basel). 2022 Dec 22;23(1):104. doi: 10.3390/s23010104. Abstract Background: This work aims to assess human exposure to EMF due to two different wearable antennas tuned to two 5G bands. Methods: The first one was centered in the lower 5G band, around f = 3.5 GHz, whereas the second one was tuned to the upper 5G band, at 26.5 GHz. Both antennas were positioned on the trunk of four simulated human models. The exposure assessment was performed by electromagnetic numerical simulations. Exposure levels were assessed by quantifying the specific absorption rate averaged on 10 g of tissue (SAR10g) and the absorbed power density (Sab), depending on the frequency of the wearable antenna. Results: the higher exposure values that resulted were always mainly concentrated in a superficial area just below the antenna itself. In addition, these resulting distributions were narrowed around their peak values and tended to flatten toward lower values in farther anatomical body regions. All the exposure levels complied with ICNIRP guidelines when considering realistic input power. Conclusions: This work highlights the importance of performing an exposure assessment when the antenna is placed on the human wearer, considering the growth of wearable technology and its wide variety of application, particularly regarding future 5G networks. Excerpt To evaluate the interaction between the EMF emitted by the simulated wearable antennas and human tissues, the specific absorption rate (SAR) and the absorbed power density (Sab) were evaluated according to ICNIRP guidelines [28]. In more detail, the SAR was calculated as averaged over a cubical mass of 10 g (SAR10g), and the Sab was averaged over a square 4 cm2 surface area over the skin, that is, the most superficial tissue. Both SAR10g and Sab were obtained with the input power to the antenna set as 1 W. The choice to estimate the SAR over the Sab and vice versa depended on the frequency of the wearable antenna. Open access paper: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Machine Enhanced Logic

AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeexposure_assessment
Effect directionno_effect
PopulationFour simulated human models (antennas positioned on the trunk)
Sample size4
ExposureRF
Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Numerical simulations for wearable antennas tuned around 3.5 GHz and 26.5 GHz found the highest exposure values concentrated superficially just below the antenna, with distributions narrowing around peak values and decreasing in more distant anatomical regions. For realistic input power, all assessed exposure levels complied with ICNIRP guidelines.

Outcomes measured

  • SAR10g (specific absorption rate averaged over 10 g)
  • Absorbed power density (Sab, averaged over 4 cm² over skin)
  • Compliance with ICNIRP guidelines

Limitations

  • Exposure assessment based on electromagnetic numerical simulations (not measurements in humans)
  • Only two wearable antenna designs and two 5G bands assessed (around 3.5 GHz and 26.5 GHz)
  • Antenna placement limited to the trunk
  • Small number of simulated human models (n=4)
  • Input power setting described (1 W) but compliance statement refers to 'realistic input power' without further detail in the abstract
View raw extracted JSON
{
  "study_type": "exposure_assessment",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "wearable antennas",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": "Four simulated human models (antennas positioned on the trunk)",
  "sample_size": 4,
  "outcomes": [
    "SAR10g (specific absorption rate averaged over 10 g)",
    "Absorbed power density (Sab, averaged over 4 cm² over skin)",
    "Compliance with ICNIRP guidelines"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Numerical simulations for wearable antennas tuned around 3.5 GHz and 26.5 GHz found the highest exposure values concentrated superficially just below the antenna, with distributions narrowing around peak values and decreasing in more distant anatomical regions. For realistic input power, all assessed exposure levels complied with ICNIRP guidelines.",
  "effect_direction": "no_effect",
  "limitations": [
    "Exposure assessment based on electromagnetic numerical simulations (not measurements in humans)",
    "Only two wearable antenna designs and two 5G bands assessed (around 3.5 GHz and 26.5 GHz)",
    "Antenna placement limited to the trunk",
    "Small number of simulated human models (n=4)",
    "Input power setting described (1 W) but compliance statement refers to 'realistic input power' without further detail in the abstract"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "5G",
    "wearable antennas",
    "3.5 GHz",
    "26.5 GHz",
    "RF-EMF",
    "numerical simulation",
    "SAR10g",
    "absorbed power density",
    "Sab",
    "ICNIRP guidelines",
    "human exposure assessment"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "who-icnirp",
      "weight": 0.8,
      "reason": "Exposure levels were evaluated according to and compared with ICNIRP guidelines."
    },
    {
      "slug": "5g-policy",
      "weight": 0.55,
      "reason": "Assesses exposure from devices operating in two 5G bands (around 3.5 GHz and 26.5 GHz)."
    }
  ]
}
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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.3390/s23010104
PubMed: Not supplied

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