Near-Field Microwave Resonating Sensor for Chronic Bone Assessment through Novel Electromagnetic Band Gap Structures

Area of Science:

• * Applied Physics
• * Biomedical Engineering
• * Materials Science

Background:

• * Wearable microwave sensors offer noninvasive diagnostic capabilities for chronic conditions.
• * Assessing bone cracks and their healing using near-field microwave effects presents unique challenges.
• * Flexible sensor technology is crucial for developing effective wearable diagnostic tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To evaluate chronic wounds, specifically bone cracks, and their healing processes.
• * To develop and assess novel near-field flexible microwave sensors for bone crack detection.
• * To investigate the efficacy of specific electromagnetic band gap structures for noninvasive crack analysis.

Main Methods:

• * Design and simulation of polyamide- and polydimethylsiloxane-based flexible microwave sensors.
• * Integration of resonating and electromagnetic band gap structures (tetrad cell) within the FR1 band.
• * Varying crack percentages (0-100%) for analysis using multiple resonance frequencies (2.286, 2.35, 3.04, 3.616 GHz).

Main Results:

• * The proposed sensor exhibits sharp resonance and gain, suitable for wearable bandage applications.
• * Tetrad cell electromagnetic band gap structures enable crack detection across multiple frequencies.
• * Noninvasive analysis of bone cracks from 0% to 100% was achieved through simulations.

Conclusions:

• * Novel flexible microwave sensors show promise for noninvasive assessment of bone cracks and healing.
• * The developed sensor design, incorporating specific electromagnetic band gap structures, is effective for wearable wound monitoring.
• * This technology facilitates comprehensive chronic bone analysis through advanced microwave sensing.