The new applications enabled by 5G will multiply the number of devices, change their usage, and in combination with a denser network including MaMIMO, may significantly change the exposure patterns compared to current network technologies.

Little is known about exposures by new local networks operating in the FR1  and FR2 range within industrial environments and other workplaces.

Current monitoring instrumentation and procedures have not been developed for the new beamforming technologies utilized by FR1 and FR2 and, thus, they need to be adapted to meet the new requirements.

A potential microscopic field and temperature enhancement due to the microstructure of the skin has been postulated for mm-wave exposures (FR2 and higher), which will be further investigated and play an important role for the interpretation of the results obtained by the biological experiments.

Within SEAWave, and using in vitro, animal, and human studies (SEAWave-Clin clinical trial), we will focus on the potential (co-)carcinogenicity of FR2 exposure of the skin (prenatal to elderly), as we have identified this as the  most pressing gap in science and risk communication.

The validation of the new proposed mitigation methods for the exposure using a combination of proximity sensors and TAPD also needs to be tested to meet the requirements of the radio equipment directive.

It is not sufficiently understood if and how 5G exposure is perceived in a different way as exposure with 2G–4G technology and how to communicate the exposure and risk of FR2.