Abstract

Abstract Overview

While there is increasing interest in cellular communications within millimeter wave (mmW) bands, corresponding studies on their potential harmful impacts on human health are not substantially addressed.

Research Focus

Previous research primarily focused on the exposure to radio frequency (RF) fields in cellular systems during uplink due to closer proximity of a transmitter to a human body. This study highlights the critical need for comprehensive research on exposure to downlink RF fields, especially in 5G systems operating in mmW bands.

• Increased deployment of transmitters due to smaller cell sizes.
• Higher concentration of RF energy facilitated by highly directional antennas.

Key Findings

The study indicates that RF exposure levels in the downlink phase of 5G wireless systems produce significantly higher power density (PD) and specific absorption rate (SAR) compared to current cellular technologies.

Important Highlight

Specific absorption rate (SAR) is emphasized as a crucial factor for assessing human RF exposure in the 5G mmW downlink scenarios.