NEW YORK, June 11 (UPI) -- Wireless frequency researchers are calling for the Federal Communications Commission to start writing safety regulations for millimeter-wave (mmWave) wireless technology to be prepared when manufacturers start using the high-frequency radio waves for devices.
The researchers suggest future mobile device safety regulations be written based on temperature changes in the body, rather than on power density, as they are now.
"Because future devices will operate on a spectrum with different properties than today's communications devices, FCC rules and regulations on safety must be reviewed and adjusted accordingly," said Theodore Rappaport, founder and director of NYU WIRELESS, in a press release. "Additionally, current safety rules regarding radio frequency exposure don't specify limits above 100GHz, but because spectrum use will inevitably move to these bands over time, safety metrics must also be codified at these frequencies."
Unlike the ionizing radiation of X-rays and gamma rays, which cause genetic mutations due to their excessive energy levels, millimeter waves are known as non-ionizing and possess million times less energy. Millimeter waves generally cause mainly heating effects.
Researchers suggest using magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, technology to map thermal changes in the body because it has already been successfully shown to detect increases caused by electromagnetic fields.
The study is published in MathPubs.
