据 Chicago Tribune 近期进行的一项独立调查显示，一些热门手机的射频 (RF) 辐射水平可能远高于法定安全限值。这一发现引起了公众对手机射频安全性的关注，也促使美国联邦通信委员会 (FCC) 进行了后续调查。
比吸收率 (SAR) 是人体在使用移动器件时吸收的射频 (RF) 能量的度量值，目前是测量许多无线器件射频 (RF) 辐射的行业安全标准。美国 FCC 要求最大间隔距离为 25 毫米时，手机射频 (RF) 辐射的 SAR 水平不超过 1.6 W/千克（针对 1 克组织）；欧洲标准要求与身体的间隔距离为 5 毫米（最近更新）时辐射为 2 W/千克（针对 10 克组织）。
自从四十多年前引入这些标准以来，无线器件的用途越来越广泛，射频 (RF) 功率水平也随之提高；因此，定期审查和修订标准非常重要，以保持连接性和射频 (RF) 安全的最佳平衡。我们不仅应该专注于监测和执行这些涉及人类健康（特别是长时间接触智能手机的那些人）的法律限制，还需要简化分类系统，同时提高公众对此类法规的认识。
自上世纪 90 年代以来，智能手机的普及率急剧上升，成为近代历史上应用最广泛的消费类器件。从 1G（仅语音）到新推出的 5G（保证高带宽和极快的数据吞吐量），无线技术的创新和进步为消费者带来了许多新的好处。与此同时，向 5G 时代的过渡也给最新的智能手机设计增添了更多的复杂性。
To enable ultra-high speed, 5G phones are designed with high-performance RF devices often containing an increased number of antennas to support the demand for more reliable connectivity and greater bandwidth. However, the increase in RF power also introduces added challenges for smartphone original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to maintain compliance with the worldwide RF codifications.
确保符合辐射准则的一种方法是永久降低最大射频 (RF) 功率，但很少有 OEM 这么做，因为这会对 4G 和 5G 等高带宽网络技术的用户体验带来非常糟糕的影响。要解决长期射频 (RF) 辐射的潜在健康风险，一种更有效的方法是在手机中实施 SAR 传感器。该传感器根据用户的接近程度动态管理手机的功率输出，提供极其卓越的客户体验。
作为包括 SAR 在内的智能传感器件的市场领导者，Semtech 见证了越来越多的领先智能手机 OEM 因为这一原因而使用 SAR 传感器。SAR 传感器的使用不会影响消费者对 5G 的期望，并且为 OEM 提供了一种有效的解决方案来管理其器件射频 (RF) 系统的输出，同时确保良好的客户体验并符合安全标准。
As mobile technology continues to evolve to support ever higher bandwidth and throughput requirements, Semtech expects a similar evolution in safety management standards and best practices fueled by an increase in public awareness of RF safety concerns. In turn this will drive a need for smartphone OEMs to continue to focus new product development on phones which combine the best customer experience with RF safety for end users.
In an increasingly competitive smartphone industry, the time to act is now. Staying at the leading edge of RF safety standards will increasingly become a differentiator for smartphone OEMs across both premium and value sectors of the market.
We believe there are three key areas where OEMs can gain competitive advantage, specifically:
Over the past two decades, as network and device technologies have rapidly evolved, we’ve seen massive shifts in market share across device OEMs. The evolution of this market shows no signs of slowing as we enter a world where high bandwidth connectivity is ubiquitous.
The battleground for device OEMs going forward is in delivering solutions which leverage the best available technologies to deliver both high performance and user safety. The winners in this new world may well be the OEMs who innovate and lead (rather than follow) the development of safer solutions.