A Compact Wearable Textile Antenna for NB-IoT and ISM Band Patient Tracking Applications

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Wearable Technology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Traditional antennas can be obtrusive and uncomfortable for continuous wear.
• Patient tracking systems require reliable, multi-band wireless communication.
• Textile-based antennas offer potential for non-intrusive integration into wearable devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a novel multi-band textile monopole antenna for patient tracking applications.
• To assess the antenna's performance across various frequency bands and body-worn scenarios.
• To ensure the antenna meets safety standards for human use.

Main Methods:

• A compact, multi-band textile monopole antenna was designed and fabricated using denim material.
• Antenna performance was characterized for impedance bandwidth, gain, and radiation patterns.
• The antenna's behavior was evaluated on different human body parts under various bending conditions.
• Specific absorption rate (SAR) was assessed to comply with FCC/ICNIRP safety standards.

Main Results:

• The antenna operates effectively in the NB-IoT (1.8 GHz), RFID, ISM (2.45 GHz), and 5.8 GHz bands.
• Achieved impedance bandwidths of 310 MHz, 960 MHz, and 1140 MHz at the respective frequencies.
• Maximum gains of 3.7 dBi, 5.3 dBi, and 9.6 dBi were recorded.
• Demonstrated reliable communication up to 100 m with acceptable SAR values.
• The textile antenna maintained performance during bending and on various body parts.

Conclusions:

• The proposed multi-band textile antenna is suitable for patient tracking due to its compact size, multi-band capability, and body-conformability.
• The denim-based antenna offers a comfortable, non-intrusive, and aesthetically pleasing solution for wearable wireless systems.
• The antenna meets safety regulations, making it a viable option for enhanced user safety and comfort in healthcare applications.