Smart Coat with a Fully-Embedded Textile Antenna for IoT Applications.

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• The Internet of Things (IoT) relies on wireless sensor networks (WSN) and radio frequency identification (RFID).
• Wearable devices require continuous power, making battery replacement challenging.
• Integrating energy harvesting solutions into smart clothing is a key area for WSN advancement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the E-Caption, a smart and sustainable coat featuring an embedded dual-band textile antenna.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of electromagnetic energy harvesting using integrated textile antennas in wearable devices.
• To explore the manufacturing and performance characteristics of textile antennas as emblems.

Main Methods:

• Development of a dual-band textile antenna operating at GSM 900 and DCS 1800 bands.
• Full integration of the antenna using the coat's textile material as the dielectric.
• Manufacturing of seven 'emblem' antenna prototypes using lamination and embroidery techniques.

Main Results:

• The textile antenna is fully integrated into the E-Caption coat, functioning as a dielectric.
• Antenna performance is unaffected by the orientation of the conductive fabric.
• Embroidery stitch direction and quantity can influence antenna performance; integration does not degrade performance.

Conclusions:

• The E-Caption demonstrates a novel approach to sustainable energy harvesting for wearable IoT devices.
• Textile antennas can be effectively integrated into clothing, offering a practical alternative to batteries.
• The 'emblem' concept allows for discreet and functional antenna integration into garments.