A new mobile app will be available in 2015 from the International Telecommunications Union outlining the relationship between electromagnetic fields and health, and lays out internationally agreed-upon guidelines and standards for development and assessing EMF exposure.
The EMF Guide app was announced at an ITU forum meeting on human exposure to EMF this week in Kochi, India. The ITU already has its EMF Guide information online, and the addition of app access moves it closer to its goal of raising awareness about different ways to responsibly manage human EMF exposure.
Speaking of EMF exposure, Anritsu has added an EMF radiation measurement system to its Spectrum Master handheld spectrum analyzers and its Cell Master base station analyzers. The option requires an isotopic antenna to be attached and can be used by field technicians to test EMF and ensure that wireless networks comply with standards for personal safety.
The company said that the special Anritsu antenna required for the EMF detection functionality operates between 0.7-6 GHz with three sensors inside the antenna housing that transmit and receive spherical radiation, so that radiation is measured regardless of direction.
The EMF system operates in spectrum-analyzer mode for wideband radiation measurements, and total radiation from all sources in a frequency band can also be assessed, including analysis on radiation measures of demodulated signals in specific frequency bands such as LTE or W-CDMA, Anritsu noted. The company said the addition of the EMF detection to the Spectrum Master eliminates the need for multiple instruments and adds to the extensive cell site assessment capabilities of the Cell Master.
Anritsu also recently added an option to its MT8852B Bluetooth test set in order to support the Data Length Extension for Bluetooth Low Energy, which is part of the newest Bluetooth 4.2 standard.
• Rohde & Schwarz is adding a new model to its line of R&S RTM bench oscilloscopes with  features aimed at universities and other educational institutions. The new instrument has a 200 MHz bandwidth, as well as a password-protected “education mode” that can deactivate all analysis tools and automatic measurements in order for students to learn how to operate an oscilloscope in a practicum environment. That mode is available on other bandwidth models of the RTM series, which is equipment often used in development and manufacturing, according to Rohde & Schwarz.
• JDSU is expanding its offerings for fiber testing. The company said that it now offers the industry’s first 100 dB high-performance handheld power meter, with four new models that offer both fiber inspection and optical testing within the same device and a simple pass/fail user interface. The models also include an option for in-service loss testing so that new services can be tested without disrupting service to current customers.
JDSU also added capabilities to its OneExpert DSL handheld that allows for simple testing and assessment of physical and application-layer problems.
• In related test and measurement news, Keysight Technologies,which has indicated that software and services are a central part of its strategy, launched new software for in-depth pulsed radar analysis. This expands the functionality of the company’s 89600 Vector Signal Analyzer software, which is customarily used for cellular and wireless connectivity as well as aerospace and defense applications, to include comprehensive analysis that is critical for electronic warfare applications.
