Robust, wearable, on-body antenna relying on half mode substrate integrated waveguide techniques

• Published in: 2014 IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society International Symposium (APSURSI) pp. 313 - 314
• Main Authors: Agneessens, Sam, Rogier, Hendrik, Moro, Riccardo, Bozzi, Maurizio
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01.07.2014
• Subjects: Antenna measurements; Cavity resonators; Robustness; Slot antennas; Substrates; Textiles
• ISBN: 9781479935383; 1479935387
• ISSN: 1522-3965
• DOI: 10.1109/APS.2014.6904488

A compact, robust, wearable antenna for body-worn applications in the 2.4 GHz Industrial Medical and Scientific band is designed, fabricated and tested. This novel compact textile cavity backed slot antenna combines a half-mode substrate integrated waveguide topology with an additional row of shorting vias for miniaturization. Excellent free space performance is achieved with a measured 4.6 % impedance bandwidth, maximal gain of 4.7 dBi and radiation efficiency of 81.3 %. On-body measurements reveal minimal frequency detuning when the antenna is worn by a test subject as well as a negligible impedance bandwidth reduction to 4.5 %. The low calculated Specific Absorption Rate of 0.51 W/kg averaged over 1 g of tissue demonstrates high antenna body isolation. Therefore, this design is an attractive option as antenna in smart textile systems.