MonitEM-IoT: EMF Monitoring for Cities and Connected Environments

Wireless technologies are part of daily life across urban, industrial and service environments, and with them comes the need to assess electromagnetic field exposure with precision and continuity. The deployment of 5G, IoT, smart grids and connected transport introduces constant variations in radiation levels, making it essential to use devices capable of measuring these fluctuations. This article explains how Wavecontrol’s MonitEM-IoT monitoring system works, the challenges it addresses and how it can be applied in sectors as diverse as smart cities, industry, defense and utilities.

The Importance of Continuous EMF Monitoring

The presence of antennas, sensors, telecommunications networks and smart services increases the complexity of connected environments. As technologies such as 5G, IoT sensors and intelligent transport systems expand, public exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) requires continuous and accessible supervision.

To ensure EMF levels remain within safe boundaries, cities and organizations must consider the deployment of distributed monitoring networks that can:

• Measure real-time exposure variations.
• Detect unexpected increases with configurable alarms.
• Record historical data for comparative analysis.
• Provide transparency through public or administrative dashboards.

The ITU-T K.83 document, a global reference for long-term EMF measurements, defines exposure limits based on RMS values and equipment requirements such as autonomous operation, isotropic measurement, continuous logging, six- or thirty-minute averaging and environmental resistance.

A Compact Solution Built for Evolving Environments

The transition toward highly evolving, denser wireless networks demands equipment that is flexible, lightweight and easy to deploy. Some of the key challenges in these environments include:

1. Growing number of antennas near the public
2. Compatibility with smart city and connected infrastructures
3. Installation and maintenance costs
4. Continuous operation and remote management

Wavecontrol’s MonitEM-IoT addresses these needs through:

• Reduced, lightweight design

A compact form factor simplifies installation on urban sites, industrial areas, test zones or transport infrastructure, with low visual impact even in sensitive locations.

• Autonomous operation and versatile installation

Long life batteries remove reliance on external power, avoiding issues like outages or solar panel vandalism, which is useful for large scale rollouts. Furthermore, it can be mounted on tripods, lamp post, walls or poles.

• Environmental robustness

Thanks to its IP65 rating, it withstands harsh conditions in outdoor urban sites, industrial spaces or military facilities.

• Isotropic RMS measurement and continuous logging

The device performs RMS measurements up to 8 GHz with six or thirty minute sliding averages, logging information in line with international requirements for public and occupational environments.

• Flexible power and connectivity

Battery power or power over ethernet (PoE) adapts to different topologies, from cable free urban deployments to plants with on premise infrastructure. Data transmission via LTE-M, NB-IoT or Ethernet simplifies integration into corporate or municipal control centers.

How the MonitEM-IoT Monitoring System Operates

The MonitEM-IoT verifies that RF exposure levels remain below the limits defined for both the general public and occupational environments. Its operation relies on constant measurements, automated data transmission and integrated supervision.

1. Installation

Place the device at strategic locations such as sensitive urban zones, industrial plants, test areas, transport stations or critical communication points.

2. Mobile app configuration

An NFC app adjusts parameters including averaging, logging intervals, alarms and communication. The app is now available on Google Play.

3. Continuous measurement

The MonitEM-IoT logs EMF levels, stores data in internal memory for weeks and sends it automatically whenever communication is available.

4. Integration with management platforms

A Control Center lets users view real time levels, access historical data, compare values to limits, manage alarms and administer multiple locations from a single dashboard, including optional public pages for transparency.

5. Multisector readiness

The same system suits municipalities, factories, defense sites, transport networks, energy and water companies and telecom operators, thanks to flexible connectivity and autonomous operation.

Conclusion

The expansion of wireless networks and connected services has increased the need for reliable and accessible EMF monitoring. Wavecontrol’s MonitEM-IoT combines autonomy, robustness, connectivity and ease of installation, enabling reliable, flexible monitoring networks prepared for highly connected environments. If you would like to explore how these solutions can be tailored to your specific needs, contact one of our experts.