A Simple and Low-Cost Technique for 5G Conservative Human Exposure Assessment

Abstract

Overview

The paper outlines a straightforward and cost-efficient method to estimate the conservative maximum field levels emitted by 5G base stations, aimed at assessing human exposure.

Methodology

• The method employs a Maximum Power Extrapolation (MPE) technique.
• Initial measurements are taken using a simple spectrum analyzer to determine the Resource Element (RE) power from broadcast beams.
• The RE power of traffic beams is estimated through the Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF) derived from both broadcast and traffic radiation patterns provided by the base station vendor.
• This approach helps mitigate issues in accurately estimating the direction of measurement relative to the 5G antenna beam.

Experimental Validation

The methodology was applied to a real 5G communication system, comparing its efficacy to other MPE methods documented in literature.

Conclusion

The introduced method offers a simple, low-cost option to conservatively estimate the maximum field levels from 5G stations, but it yields only conservative values, necessitating alternate precise methods when standards are surpassed.