Project

Radio-Frequency Electromagnetic Field Exposure and Detection of Mosquitos

Code
3G033220
Duration
01 January 2020 → 31 December 2023
Funding
Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO)
Promotor
Research disciplines
  • Engineering and technology
    • Antennas and propagation
Keywords
Mosquitos electromagnetic fields absorbed power
 
Project description

Wireless communication is a widespread and growing technology Wireless networks use Radio-Frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (EMFs) at frequencies between 01 GHz and 6 GHz to enable this communication Future networks such as 5th generation networks will operate at higher frequencies (up to 300 GHz) or equivalently smaller wavelengths (> 1 mm, so-called mm-waves) as well As those wavelengths become comparable to the size of a mosquito body, we expect their absorption of RF-EMFs to increase Simultaneously, the heating caused by this absorption will increase as well This heating occurs using the same mechanism as microwave heating This might affect their behavior, physiology, morphology, and development This absorption of RF-EMFs will be determined in this project Equivalently, mosquitos are also expected to scatter RF EMF fields more efficiently at mm-waves This should make them easier to detect using radar at these wavelengths This project aims at determining mosquitoes’radar cross section, a quantity that quantifies the efficiency of scattering of RF-EMFs, as a function of frequency We expect this to lead to a better detection of mosquitoes using radar, which in its turn will aid in controlling populations of disease-bearing mosquitos and monitoring resistance in that population This is a very important aspect in the prevention and control of diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, and dengue