HERWICT

HERWICT - Human Exposure to Radiation from new Wireless Communication Technologies using Advanced Electromagnetic-Thermal Dosimetry Models

The HERWICT project addresses one of the central open questions of modern wireless communications: how emerging 5G and future 6G technologies affect human tissue when exposed to high-frequency electromagnetic fields. While these systems enable unprecedented data transmission rates through the use of millimetre-wave frequencies and advanced antenna technologies, they also raise new challenges in ensuring safe levels of human exposure to electromagnetic radiation.

Scientific objectives

HERWICT aims to develop a comprehensive, physics-based model of human tissue response to radiation from next-generation communication systems. The project brings together expertise in fluid mechanics, heat transfer, bioelectromagnetics, and numerical modelling to address this challenge through three interconnected research directions:

  1. High-frequency dosimetry modelling

    • Development of advanced conformal numerical solvers (BEM, FEM, hybrid BEM/FEM) to overcome limitations of standard voxel-based models and improve accuracy in predicting absorbed power density and internal fields.

  2. Multiphase flow and heat transfer modelling

    • Novel CFD models of blood flow treating red blood cells as deformable particles that dynamically interact with tissue and electromagnetic energy, advancing beyond current state-of-the-art approximations.

  3. Coupled bioheat transfer modelling

    • Integration of electromagnetic dosimetry and multiphase blood flow into a unified model of tissue heating, accounting for perfusion, conduction, and local energy deposition.

Secondary goals

To strengthen and validate these models, HERWICT also pursues:

  • Uncertainty quantification using stochastic collocation methods.

  • Dynamic thermography experiments for non-invasive surface temperature measurements.

  • Incident field dosimetry of 5G/6G sources.

  • Reduced-order and AI-based surrogate models to accelerate simulations.

 

Methodology and collaboration

The project is jointly led by the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor (Slovenia, PI: Jure Ravnik) and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, University of Split (Croatia, PI: Dragan Poljak). It combines advanced numerical simulation, high-performance computing, and experimental validation to ensure reliability and applicability of the developed models.

 

Expected contributions

HERWICT will:

  • Deliver new mathematical formulations and efficient computational tools for bioelectromagnetics.

  • Provide experimental benchmarks for electromagnetic and thermal exposure.

  • Enhance understanding of health and safety implications of next-generation wireless systems.

  • Contribute to international standards and exposure guidelines (IEEE, ICNIRP) on non-ionising radiation.

 

Target community

The outcomes will be relevant for researchers and engineers in electromagnetics, fluid dynamics, biomedical engineering, and applied mathematics, as well as for regulatory bodies, telecommunication industries, and health agencies.

 

Funding

HERWICT is funded by ARIS (J7-60118) and HRZZ (IPS-2024-02-7779) for the period 1.2.2025 - 31.1.2028