Why is it difficult?

High RF radiations could potentially cause skin issues and other health-related issues to humans and animals. Typically, the total radiated power (TRP) and Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) of a base station are regulated by corporations such as FCC to reduce the harmful effects of RF radiations. However, those standards, especially for upcoming 5G protocols, may not be adequate for the safety of human beings. More importantly, a long duration of exposure (SARS) may produce more harmful effects. We need to reduce RF power absorbed by humans by one order of magnitude from today’s levels. However, there is generally a trade-off that low radiation would ask for lower transmit power which affects the performance and coverage of the wireless network. Therefore, the underlying challenge is to improve RF radiation safety while maintaining an effective communication system.

What is the impact?

It is of utmost importance to reduce the RF radiation levels to protect humans and animals. It will lead to beneficial long-term effects on the healthy life system on earth. Many lethal diseases such as cancer could be potentially reduced and lives saved by reducing the RF radiation level in the environment. Finally, the high-speed connection of 5G that requires a high density of base stations to cover a large geographical area could safely benefit the customers.