Assessing Human Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields From Wireless Power Transmission Systems

The strong reactive near-field wireless power transmission (WPT) systems induce electric fields in the body tissue of persons in their close vicinity. This may pose potential direct health hazards or indirect risks via interference with medical implants. In this paper, the safety guidelines and the fundamental coupling mechanisms of the human body with the electromagnetic near fields of WPT are reviewed as well as the methodology and the instrumentation for the demonstration of the safety of such systems operating between 100 kHz and 50 MHz. Based on this review, the advantages and shortcomings of state-of-the-art numerical and experimental techniques are discussed and applied to a generic WPT operating at 8 MHz. Finally, current research needs are identified which include: 1) the extension of safety guidelines for coverage of persons with implants; 2) more computationally efficient full-wave solvers; 3) higher quality human models which cover different population groups and include improved models of nerve tissue; 4) experimental dosimetric methods for the WPT frequency range; and 5) product standards to demonstrate safety of specific WPT.