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

Publications reporting the project findings:

• J. Wedel, M. Hriberšek, J. Ravnik, P. Steinmann, Ellipsoidal soft micro-particles suspended in dilute viscous
  flow, Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering 441 (2025) 117973. doi:10.1016/j.cma.2025.117973.
• I. D. Horvat, J. Iljaž, Numerical Solving of Dynamic Thermography Inverse Problem for Skin Cancer
  Diagnosis Based on non-Fourier Bioheat Model, Strojniški vestnik - Journal of Mechanical Engineering
  71 (9-10) (2025) 271–283. doi:10.5545/sv-jme.2025.1368.
• I. D. Horvat, J. Wedel, N. Vovk, B. Kamenik, P. Steinmann, J. Ravnik, Towards Implementation of Advanced
  Bioheat Models in Human Head Exposed to 5G Radiation, in: 2025 International Conference on Software,
  Telecommunications and Computer Networks (SoftCOM), IEEE, Split, Croatia, 2025, pp. 1–6. doi:
  10.23919/SoftCOM66362.2025.11197462.
• K. Vidjak, M. Škiljo, V. Dori´c, D. Poljak, Human Head Exposure to Bluetooth Frequency Electromagnetic
  Dosimetry, in: 2025 International Conference on Electromagnetics in Advanced Applications (ICEAA),
  IEEE, Palermo, Italy, 2025, pp. 0449–0453. doi:10.1109/ICEAA65662.2025.11306057.
• D. Poljak, V. Doric, Parametric Study of the Radiated Field from Base Stations Using the Integral Equation
  Approach, in: 2025 MIPRO 48th ICT and Electronics Convention, IEEE, Opatija, Croatia, 2025, pp. 873–878.
  doi:10.1109/MIPRO65660.2025.11131886.
• D. Poljak, V. Doric, M. Galic, Z. N. Sesnic, On the Use of Efficient Methods for the Assessment of Radiated
  Field from Radio Base Station Antennas and Related Legal Issues Pertaining to Human Exposure to
  Nonionizing Radiation, in: 2025 MIPRO 48th ICT and Electronics Convention, IEEE, Opatija, Croatia, 2025,
  pp. 879–884. doi:10.1109/MIPRO65660.2025.11131761.
• D. Poljak, V. Doric, A Note on Different Source Models for Dipole Antennas in Ghz Frequency Range, in:
  2025 International Conference on Electromagnetics in Advanced Applications (ICEAA), IEEE, Palermo,
  Italy, 2025, pp. 0358–0363. doi:10.1109/ICEAA65662.2025.11305721.
• M. Galic, D. Poljak, T. Ivandic, Typical 5G Scenarios in Republic of Croatia – Measured Values of Electric
  Field, in: 2025 International Conference on Software, Telecommunications and Computer Networks
  (SoftCOM), IEEE, Split, Croatia, 2025, pp. 1–5. doi:10.23919/SoftCOM66362.2025.11197456.
• K. Vidjak, M. Škiljo, D. Poljak, Computational Study of 5G Technology Dosimetry on SAM Human Head
  Model, in: 2025 International Conference on Software, Telecommunications and Computer Networks
  (SoftCOM), IEEE, Split, Croatia, 2025, pp. 1–6. doi:10.23919/SoftCOM66362.2025.11197332.
• Z. Blaževi´c, M. Škiljo, D. Poljak, Channel Model of Line-of-Sight Radio Propagation by Reflection over
  Lossy Ground for Cellular Networks, in: 2025 10th International Conference on Smart and Sustainable
  Technologies (SpliTech), IEEE, Bol and Split, Croatia, 2025, pp. 1–5. doi:10.23919/SpliTech65624.2025.
  11091704.
• J. Ravnik, Invited lecture at SoftCom 2025: Simulation and modelling of particle laden flows (Sep. 2025).
• H. Dodig, K. Vidjak, M. Škiljo, D. Poljak, Human Head Exposure to Bluetooth Frequency - Thermal
  Response, in: 2025 International Conference on Electromagnetics in Advanced Applications (ICEAA),
  IEEE, Palermo, Italy, 2025, pp. 330–335. doi:10.1109/ICEAA65662.2025.11306004.
• J. Wedel, N. Catalán, P. Steinmann, M. Hriberšek, S. Cito, S. Varela, J. Pallarès, J. Ravnik, Ellipsoidal
  particle transport and deposition in an averaged human nasal airway - A CFD study, International Journal
  of Multiphase Flow 198 (2026) 105657. doi:10.1016/j.ijmultiphaseflow.2026.105657.