The ETAIN EMF Monitor app is an application to assess RF-EMF exposure, installed on a mobile device. It has two purposes:

1) Based on signal quality of the mobile phone network, an estimation of the RF-EMF exposure in the environment is made. With the collective measurements of many people, this will be shown on maps

2) The signal quality also allows us to estimate the output power of the mobile phone. This information can be used to estimate the personal RF-EMF dose of the app users. (Note: to have access to your individual data, you need a login)

The app measurements are converted into electric field strengths using calibration functions. Each individual measurement has a high uncertainty as it is a single measurement at a given time and location. Therefore, the more people install the app on their mobile devices and collect measurements within the same area around a location at different times, the more precisely ETAIN will be able to produce maps showing the spatial and temporal distribution of RF-EMF exposure.

The recorded signal strength indicators cover the different technologies installed in the mobile phone network, WiFi access points and devices. Bluetooth is identified by the corresponding protocol, device category and service type.

Almost everyone carries a mobile phone, and data can be collected with high temporal and spatial resolution. At the same time, the use of one’s own mobile devices contributes most to the individual exposure. This is what the smartphone app makes use of. The app has another added value, which is the amount of data that can be collected by many users: As single measurements are not precise, i.e. have a high degree of uncertainty, this can be compensated by increasing amounts of data.

The ETAIN exposure app collects data on the usage of smartphones:

• usage type (e.g., calling, browsing)

• location information (GPS, network location)

• signal strength (network cell, WiFi), in other words: through what technology are you connected and how strong is this connection?

• frequency band currently used, if available

• duration of use

These data are needed to evaluate the personal exposure of the smartphone user, but also to collect data on environmental exposures (used for generating the ETAIN exposure open maps).

The app does not register:

• which numbers you call or message

• the content of your calls or messages

• the content of your app or browser usage

The permissions asked for are the following: 1. The permission to record the call logs, i.e. the number and duration of the calls dialed and received together with the time stamps (READ_CALL_LOG), 2. the permission of accessing the location

(ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION, ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION, ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION). In newer versions of Android the permission has to be given to access the location in the background in addition to the permission of accessing the location at all, i.e. when the app is not actively used as a ‘foreground app’.

Yes. Your data is handled with utmost care. Please read our data privacy statement where we explain in detail what we collect, how we handle your data and who has access to them.

The exposure maps developed in ETAIN will allow visitors to access information about personal, environmental and population RF-EMF from device use, but also infrastructural sources such as base stations or WiFi access points.

Yes. Everyone who is interested can get the ETAIN exposure app and visit and use the portal and all other ETAIN resources, for free.