title: Assessment of the radio-frequency electromagnetic fields induced in the human body from mobile phones used with hands-free kits.
abstract: In this study, the radiation emission from mobile phones when used with wireless and wired hands-free kits (HFK) was evaluated to determine the necessity for a dedicated compliance procedure and the extent to which the use of wired and wireless HFK can reduce human exposure. The specific absorption rates (SAR) from wireless HFK were determined experimentally. Wired HFK were evaluated dosimetrically while connected to mobile phones (GSM900/1800, UMTS1950) under maximized current coupling onto the HFK cable and various wire routing configurations. In addition, experimentally validated simulations of a wired HFK and a mobile phone operating on anatomical whole-body models were performed. The maximum spatial peak SAR in the head when using wired HFK was more than five times lower than ICNIRP limits. The SAR in the head depends on the output power of the mobile phone, the coupling between the antenna and cable, external attenuation and potential cable specific attenuation. In general, a wired HFK considerably reduces the exposure of the entire head region compared to mobile phones operated at the head, even under unlikely worst-case coupling scenarios. However, wired HFK may cause a localized increase of the exposure in the region of the ear inside the head under worst-case conditions. Wireless HFK exhibit a low but constant exposure.
authors.affiliation: Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society, Zürich, Switzerland. kuehn@itis.ethz.ch
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kühn
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cabot
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Christ
authors.forename: Myles
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Capstick
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kuster
mesh_terms: D001822:Body Burden; D040421:Cell Phone / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011846:Radio Waves; D014915:Whole-Body Counting / Q000379:methods*