Abstract

Overview

The rapid roll-out of Fifth generation (5G) telecommunication networks brings with it a need for greater bandwidth and the use of mm waves (30- 300 GHz). This abstract discusses the capabilities and limitations of body-worn devices in measuring personal exposure to these mm waves.

Findings

• The size of antennas currently used for measuring electromagnetic fields will decrease due to the higher frequencies utilized by 5G networks (30-300 GHz).
• Existing limits on incident power density set by exposure guidelines define a maximum receivable power during measurement. It leads to constraints in dynamic range—a maximum of 53 dB at 300 GHz and 73 dB at 30 GHz, quantified using a simplistic model.
• Significant propagation losses may surpass this range, especially during on-body measurements, implicating potential measurement inaccuracies.

Conclusion

Given the limitations of current single-antenna systems in providing accurate exposure measurements at high frequencies, the study advocates for deploying multiple, dynamic antennas on the body. This strategy may enhance the reliability of data critical for occupational health assessments and epidemiological research.