NextGEM: Next-Generation Integrated Sensing and Analytical System for Monitoring and Assessing Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field Exposure and Health

Abstract

The evolution of emerging technologies that use Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Field (RF-EMF) has increased the interest of the scientific community and society regarding the possible adverse effects on human health and the environment. This article provides NextGEM’s vision to assure safety for EU citizens when employing existing and future EMF-based telecommunication technologies. This is accomplished by generating relevant knowledge that ascertains appropriate prevention and control/actuation actions regarding RF-EMF exposure in residential, public, and occupational settings. Fulfilling this vision, NextGEM commits to the need for a healthy living and working environment under safe RF-EMF exposure conditions that can be trusted by people and be in line with the regulations and laws developed by public authorities. NextGEM provides a framework for generating health-relevant scientific knowledge and data on new scenarios of exposure to RF-EMF in multiple frequency bands and developing and validating tools for evidence-based risk assessment. Finally, NextGEM’s Innovation and Knowledge Hub (NIKH) will offer a standardized way for European regulatory authorities and the scientific community to store and assess project outcomes and provide access to findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) data.

Intentional and Undesirable Effects Related to the Interaction of Electromagnetic Fields with Major Living Tissues

“…The connections between EMFs and humans in these activities certainly play an important role in human well-being. In addition to these desired dealings, there are undesirable effects on human tissues as well as those of fauna and flora [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. These EMF exposures are due to two types of sources, near field (NF) as telephone cells [9], and far field (FF) as antenna towers for telephone cells [7,8].…”

Analysis of the Interaction Effects of Electromagnetic Fields with Major Living Tissues—One Health Concept Numerical Evaluation Strategy

“…The connections between EMFs and humans in these activities certainly play an important role in human well-being. In addition to these desired dealings, there are undesirable effects on human tissues as well as those of fauna and flora [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. These EMF exposures are due to two types of sources, near field (NF) as telephone cells [9], and far field (FF) as antenna towers for telephone cells [7,8].…”

An Exposimetric Electromagnetic Comparison of Mobile Phone Emissions: 5G versus 4G Signals Analyses by Means of Statistics and Convolutional Neural Networks Classification

“…As the field of research progresses, exposure guidelines may be adjusted to account for new scientific findings and further understand the potential effects of RF EMF on human health [14]. The development of the NextGEM Innovation and Knowledge Hub for EMF and Health [15] established, starting in 2022, a partnership spanning telecommunication engineering, cell biology, human studies, and epidemiology, and the gained knowledge will be integrated into an evidence-based risk assessment for use by different stakeholders.…”