Abstract

Overview

As part of the energy transition in Germany, high-voltage direct current (HVDC) lines producing DC electric fields (EF) are in planning. The human perception of these fields has been seldom addressed, prompting this critical research to identify influential environmental and experimental factors during whole-body exposure to both direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) electric fields, alongside a hybrid exposure of both.

Findings

• Environmental conditions, particularly relative humidity, were found to affect the perception of AC and DC EF differently.
• A sophisticated exposure lab was developed to allow participants to report their perceptions of EF strengths, helping estimate personal perception thresholds using detection theories.
• Hybrid EF exposure resulted in lower perception thresholds than exposure to DC or AC EF alone, with diverse body parts experiencing various sensations.

Conclusion

This study elaborates on key factors for designing future studies and provides a crucial foundation for large-scale examinations into the effects of electromagnetic fields on human perception, indicating potential health impacts that should not be overlooked.