18/04/2008

A new and innovative service for the measurement of electromagnetic radiation, named Mobile Hermes, was presented by the Radiocommunications Laboratory of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Mobile Hermes measures and records the electromagnetic radiation emitted by radio and TV station transmitting antennae, mobile telephony antennae, radars etc. The implementation of Mobile Hermes has already begun in the Municipality of Thessaloniki.

This service was designed, developed and implemented by the specialized scientific staff of the Radiocommunications Laboratory of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, headed by the Director of the lab, Professor Ioannis Sahalos, and the Mobile Radiocommunications Laboratory of the National Technical University, headed by Professor Philipos Konstantinou. The technological equipment is subsidized by Vodafone mobile telephony company and, before being incorporated into the system, is checked by the University Laboratories.

This service utilises a broadband meter of electric field power, a GPS receiver for recording the meter?s location and a specially equipped vehicle. The meter records and stores one measurement per second. At the same time, the GPS detects the location of the meter each time, as the vehicle is in motion. Data is collected and stored in a portable electronic computer and in turn is transferred to the central computer of the Hermes programme. The measurements of electromagnetic radiation at radio frequencies along the particular routes of the Hermes vehicle are then entered onto a digital map of the city and offered to the public via the webpage www.hermes-program.gr. Furthermore, the Hermes programme provides the opportunity for the public to be informed via SMS regarding the levels of electromagnetic radiation at radio frequencies emitted to the environment. The innovative SMS Hermes service uses the mobile telephony network so as to inform the public via SMS.

The Hermes Programme was created in 2002 by the National Technical University and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and is a 24-hour measurement system of the electromagnetic radiation emitted to the environment from various sources, such as radio and TV station transmitting antennae, mobile telephony antennae and radars. Measurements are usually carried out at stable measurement stations situated at various locations across the country. The results of the measurements are posted on the programme?s website.

Source: AUTH