A Flexible Metamaterial Based Printed Antenna for Wearable Biomedical Applications

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Miniaturized antennas are crucial for wireless biomedical devices.
• Metamaterials offer unique electromagnetic properties for antenna enhancement.
• Reducing electromagnetic interference and specific absorption rate (SAR) is vital for body-worn devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a novel microstrip antenna utilizing metamaterials (MTM) for wireless biomedical applications.
• To achieve miniaturization while maintaining suitable gain across relevant frequency bands.
• To assess the antenna's performance and safety, particularly its specific absorption rate (SAR) when in proximity to the human body.

Main Methods:

• A microstrip antenna was designed using metamaterials (MTM).
• The antenna was fabricated using silver nanoparticle ink on a polymer substrate.
• Experimental testing was conducted on a human body model, including SAR measurements.

Main Results:

• The antenna exhibited multiple resonances in the BAN and ISM frequency bands.
• Achieved gains ranged from 1 dBi to 4.11 dBi at various frequencies.
• Demonstrated significant suppression of surface waves and reduced back radiation.
• Confirmed low specific absorption rate (SAR) effects when placed on the human head.

Conclusions:

• The proposed metamaterial (MTM) microstrip antenna is suitable for miniaturized wireless biomedical devices.
• The design effectively minimizes surface waves and back radiation, enhancing safety for body-worn applications.
• The antenna's low SAR values indicate its safety for use near the human body.