Matching layer for path loss reduction in ultra wideband implant communications

Real-time monitoring of various physiological signals is of utmost importance for the treatment of chronic conditions. Radio technology can enable real-time sensing and collection of physiological data to facilitate timely medication and early pre-hospital management of patients. This can be realized with the aid of implantable biomedical sensors with the capability to transmit wirelessly the collected information to an external unit for display and analysis. Currently, commercial wireless medical implantable sensors operate in frequencies below 1 GHz with narrowband signals. Recently, it has been demonstrated that ultra wideband (UWB) signals could be also used for the radio interface of these devices. However, establishing an implant communication link in the allocated UWB spectrum of 3.1-10.6 GHz is challenging. The attenuation of UWB signals propagating through biological tissues at these frequencies is high. Part of these path losses are caused by the impedance mismatch between the two propagation environments (i.e., air and biological tissues) that constitute an implant communication link. This mismatch results in inefficient power transmission of the radio waves. In this paper we propose the use of a layer of dielectric material that can be applied on the patient's skin. The permittivity value of this matching layer has to be chosen such that wave coupling is maximized. Through numerical simulations we determined the appropriate permittivity value of a matching layer for UWB implant communication links in the human thorax for 1-6 GHz. Path loss reduction of up to 10 dB can be obtained in this frequency band. These results can help improve the use of UWB signals for other in-body biomedical devices like the wireless capsule endoscope (WCE).