Analysis of Shielding Properties of Head Covers Made of Conductive Materials in Application to 5G Wireless Systems

Abstract

The introduction of the fifth generation wireless systems caused social emotions regarding the impact of electromagnetic waves on people. Many people who consider themselves to be particularly sensitive to radiation make metal foil head covers (so called “tinfoil hats”) to shield their body from radiation. The aim of this paper is to show how effective the “tinfoil hat” really is when applied to base station radiation in a fifth generation telecommunication system. It presents the results of investigation on effectiveness of these protections in terms of their shielding properties at the frequencies used in fifth generation wireless systems. The research was carried out based on computer simulations. Remcom XFdtd software (software: XFdtd version 7.8.1 manufacturer: Remcom, 315 South Allen Street, Suite 416 State College, PA, USA) utilizing a finite difference time domain method and a numerical model of the head was applied to obtain the data on shielding properties of conductive head covers. It was found that in the case of foil head covers the maximum reduction factor of power density in the head region is approximately 50%. Furthermore, the application of a metal surface shield increases the maximum value of energy absorbed by human tissue in some regions of the head. To overcome this problem, the design of a wire-based shielding structure that does not reduce user comfort is presented as an alternative to the full-metal head cover. For wave propagation in the horizontal plane, its performance is comparable to tinfoil-like structure, but its design makes it much more comfortable for the user.