Effect of antenna polarization & body morphology on measurement uncertainty of wearable multi-band distributed exposure meter

Authors: Aminzadeh R, Thielens A, Agneessens S, et al.

Year: Dec 2018

Category: Electromagnetic Field Safety

Journal: Ann. Telecommun.

Institution: Ann. Telecommun.

DOI: 10.1007/s12243-018-0691-y

URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12243-018-0691-y

Abstract

Overview

This paper explores the impact of antenna polarization and body morphology on the accuracy of a multi-band body-worn distributed exposure meter (BWDM), a device aimed at precise measurement of electromagnetic fields.

Methodology

The BWDM, equipped with 8 nodes and capable of monitoring four frequency bands, was tested on four human subjects inside an anechoic chamber.
It focuses on quantifying the measurement uncertainty expressed in terms of the 68% confidence interval (CI68) of the on-body antenna aperture.

Findings

Results indicate significant variations in CI68 due to antenna polarization when worn by different individuals, with changes up to a maximum of 4.9 dB. Despite this, the uncertainty remains notably lower (9.6 dB less) compared to conventional commercial exposure meters.

Conclusion

The study underscores the importance of optimizing antenna polarization based on individual body morphology to enhance the reliability of electromagnetic field measurements. This optimization could lead to disparities in measurement uncertainty up to 4.9 dB, stressing the need for dual-polarization antennas to record orthogonal components of RF fields. A notable application recorded a median power density of 39 μW/m2 in a suburban area, safely below the reference levels set by ICNIRP.

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