Dragan Kljajic

The SEMONT continuous monitoring of daily EMF exposure in an open area environment.

Wireless networks traffic has experienced a considerable growth in recent years. Likewise, it is to be expected that billions of objects will be connected to the Internet in years to come, many of them wirelessly. Such increase in a number of wireless connections and the inevitability of wireless communications in proximity of users highlight the healthcare concern on electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure. Thus, the intelligent monitoring systems, such as the Serbian Electromagnetic Field Monitoring Network—SEMONT—have been required to be developed and utilized for continuous and real-time EMF monitoring, as well as for the assessment of the potential in situ daily exposure of population. This paper presents the results of the SEMONT initial campaign of continuous monitoring of the high-frequency electric field strength over the campus of the University of Novi Sad, as an open area environment. Several locations, most frequently visited by the student population in their everyday activities, have been monitored during the rush hour in order to determine the fluctuation of daily exposure on this, usually considered, highly sensitive area. The results of monitoring suggest that potential exposure is far below the allowable limit, regarding reference levels prescribed by the Serbian legislation for the general population.

The concept of the SEMONT monitoring system and its influence on the EM pollution protection

The inevitable increase of artificial electromagnetic (EM) field sources in surroundings has initiated the development of some modern systems for EM pollution observation. This paper presents a concept of the Serbian electromagnetic field monitoring network - SEMONT, which has been designed as an information network for automated, remote and continuous broadband EM monitoring in the environment. The SEMONT network provides the real-time information on the existing levels of the in-situ EM field strength and performs assessment of daily limits of a global exposure of general population, regarding Serbian legislation and ICNIRP recommendations. Having in mind increased risk of possible unhealthy effects of long-term exposure, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Serbia recognized the importance of the SEMONT system and has supported its development within the framework of the technological development of the Republic of Serbia.

Assessment of daily exposure in the broadband continuous monitoring system — SEMONT

The Serbian electromagnetic field monitoring network - SEMONT, has recently started taking initial broadband continuous measurements of electromagnetic (EM) field in surrounding environment. The SEMONT system is designed to perform daily observations of EM field sources present in the area covered by sensors network. The measurement results are collected and stored into a centralized database of EM field register and will be used to timely inform the public on real-time level of EM field and to determine the potential exposure of the general population, in accordance to the Serbian legislation and ICNIRP recommendations. An approach for the assessment of daily exposure limits, regarding the high-frequency electric field, is considered in this paper as a solution for the EM field broadband monitoring system - SEMONT.

The EM field register of the SEMONT Broadband monitoring network

The remote electromagnetic field monitoring systems rapidly develops in recent years. Thanks to the modern wireless sensor network technology such systems are able to perform monitoring over wide area and moreover to present the measurement results over public Internet network. Raising number of the electromagnetic field sources increases interest of the general population about potentially harmful effects of the long-term exposure to the electromagnetic radiation. Therefore, those monitoring systems become valuable tools in the area of the radiation protection. This paper considers the work in progress of development of the Serbian electromagnetic field monitoring network-SEMONT and its Internet portal as foundation for the so called electromagnetic field register. Information network SEMONT is a unique project at national level and develops within the program of technological development of the Republic of Serbia, for the period of 2011-2014 year.

The measurement procedure in the SEMONT monitoring system

The measurement procedure of the open area in situ electric field strength is presented, acquiring the real field data for testing of the Serbian electromagnetic field monitoring network (SEMONT) and its Internet portal. The SEMONT monitoring system introduces an advanced approach of wireless sensor network utilization for the continuous supervision of overall and cumulative level of electromagnetic field over the observed area. The aim of the SEMONT system is to become a useful tool for the national and municipal agencies for the environmental protection, regarding the electromagnetic pollution monitoring and the exposure assessment of the general population. Considering the public concern on the potentially harmful effects of the long-term exposure to electromagnetic radiation, as well as the public transparency principle that is incorporated into the Serbian law on non-ionizing radiation protection, the SEMONT monitoring system is designed for the long-term continuous monitoring, presenting real-time measurement results, and corresponding exposure assessment over the public Internet network.

Procedure for incorporation of NBM-550 measurement results into the SEMONT database

One of the consequences of the permanent increase of the electromagnetic (EM) field sources is the emergence of various systems for the remote monitoring of electromagnetic field. These systems are able to perform the continuous monitoring of the EM field in the environment utilizing the wireless sensor network technology. As a support to the authorities, to timely inform the general population on the potentially harmful effects of the long-term exposure to the EM radiation, the development of the Serbian electromagnetic field monitoring network - SEMONT has started. The SEMONT system performs a continuous EM field monitoring and presents the obtained results over its own Internet portal, playing an important role in the field of radiation protection. In order to obtain data on the high-frequency electric field strength over the area of the campus of the University of Novi Sad, the SEMONT system has recently started with initial measurements. This paper considers the SEMONT system database model supporting the measurement results incorporation, obtained by the NBM-550 handheld instruments.

The AMB 8057-03 sensor node implementation in the SEMONT EMF monitoring system

The Serbian Electromagnetic Field Monitoring Network - SEMONT is based on autonomous, remote sensor nodes, capable to monitor in-situ electromagnetic field in the environment and to wirelessly communicate with the central control station, uploading/downloading data. The SEMONT information network is intended for continuous monitoring of the low and high frequency field sources, performing the assessment of daily exposure of the general population over the observed area, as well as occupational exposure, considering the latest EU directives. In this paper the potential utilization of Narda sensor node AMB 8057-03 in the SEMONT system was investigated. A number of tests have been performed, in order to determine the compliance of AMB 8057-03 with the SEMONT requirements.

The SEMONT EM field register support for the assessment of daily exposure limits

Having in mind the practically inevitable increase of artificial electromagnetic fields (EM) in the surroundings it is required to perform a proper assessment of the potential exposure of the general population. In order to diminish the public unawareness about the real-time level of the EM fields and exposure, the Serbian electromagnetic field monitoring network - SEMONT has started the initial measurement campaign of EM emissions in the environment. The SEMONT information network is designed to use spatially distributed sensor elements, as well as handheld measuring instruments, intended for continuous broadband monitoring. The results of measurements are stored into a centralized database of the EM field register and they are publicly available through the SEMONT Internet portal. In this paper, the SEMONT EM field register support for the advanced feature of the daily exposure assessment is considered, regarding EM field reference levels, prescribed by the Serbian legislation and the ICNIRP recommendation.

The SEMONT information network for intelligent EM field continuous monitoring

Electromagnetic (EM) fields are hardly noticeable and usually unknown for the general population. This unawareness and imperceptibility can generate distrust among the public, resulting in increased concerns on exposure to the EM radiation. The solution to these problems lies in the EM emission control, taking measurements and having a proper results presentation and communication with the public. Measurements turn the EM emissions into something objective and if presented to the public in an understandable format, they can help in diminishing unawareness and helplessness about the phenomenon of the EM field. As a support for the efforts to timely inform the public about real-time and overall level of EM field in the environment, our research team has started the development of the Serbian electromagnetic field monitoring network - SEMONT, intended for remote, continuous and intelligent, 24/365, broadband monitoring of EM fields. This paper considers the work in progress related to the development and testing of the SEMONT network and its Internet portal for the presentation of measurement results and the exposure assessment of general population.

The inductive sensor analysis for the energy harvesting applications

Recently, the concept of energy harvesting has started to be considered and utilized in a variety of applications. The energy of the ambient has been exploited, employing different harvesting techniques, in order to provide the inexhaustible supply for the range of electronic devices. Concerning the energy stored in the electromagnetic field, among the known and prominent harvesting approaches, the inductance assemblies have been recognized for their simplicity, reliability and easiness in the production of various forms. This paper presents the simulation framework for the inductive sensor analysis, using the partial inductance approach for performance examination. The simple, planar, rectangular geometry is analyzed, regarding the potential increase of the overall sensors inductance. The obtained results demonstrate fine agreement with previously reported findings.