MWF 5G Workshop at BioEM 2018: state of the art research and standardization

The first 5G Workshop organised by the Mobile & Wireless Forum (MWF) back in 2016 posed a number of questions related to exposures and compliance assessments above 6GHz. One of the aims of the BioEM 2018 Pre-Conference Workshop: EMF Exposure from 5G equipment – the state of art research and standardization therefore was to follow-up those questions in light of the research work that has been carried out over the intervening period.

The program for the 2018 Workshop was structured to begin with an overview of EMF exposure standards, discuss skin physiology, thermal responses of the skin and ocular studies moving onto discussions related to averaging times, and absorption mechanisms and finally specific challenges related to compliance standards and compliance assessments of devices and networks.

The agenda included the following presentations which can be accessed online:

• Mike Wood - Chairman IEC TC106 and Telstra Corporation, Melbourne, Australia: IEC 5G EMF Compliance Standards Development & EMF Exposure Assessment of Telstra’s 5G Trial Network
• Prof. Akimasa Hirata, Nagoya Institute of Technology; Nagawa, Japan: EMF Exposure Limits above 6 GHz
• Dr Chung-Kwang Chou, IEEE/ICES TC95 Chairman and C-K. Chou Consulting Dublin, CA, USA: EMF Exposure of the Skin at mmW Frequencies
• Prof. Masami Kojima, Kanazawa Medical University Uchinada, Japan and Prof. Yukihisa Suzuki, Tokyo Metropolitan University: Ocular Studies of EMF Exposure at mmW Frequencies & Numerical dosimetry and mathematical model to estimate cornea damage
• Prof. Kenneth R. Foster, University of Pennsylvania; PA, USA: On the Averaging Time of Human Exposure at Frequencies above 6 GHz
• Dr Andreas Christ, Research Consultant, Cabo Frio (RJ), Brazil: EMF Energy Absorption Mechanisms in the mmW Frequency Range
• Davide Colombi, Ericsson Research, Stockholm, Sweden: Challenges in Standardization related to EMF Compliance above 6 GHz
• Dr Niels Kuster, Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society (IT’IS), Zurich, Switzerland: EMF Compliance Assessments of 5G Devices
• Dr Walid El Hajj, Intel Corporation, Nice, France: EMF Compliance Assessment based on a Mixed Approach of Measurements and Numerical Simulations
• Dr Kun Li National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Tokyo, Japan: Human-skin Temperature Elevation by EMF Exposure at MMW and THz Frequencies 
• Prof. Yoshikazu Ugawa, Director, Department of Neuro-regeneration and Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan: Thermal Sensation Threshold of Millimeter Waves in Japanese People

The MWF sponsored this Workshop to promote an understanding of the research and standards for 5G and as such the presentations from, and the views expressed by, authors do not necessarily represent the views of the MWF. Some of the research projects presented here were sponsored by the MWF and GSMA and again, the views are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of either the MWF or the GSMA.