Progress In Electromagnetics Research Symposium Proceedings, KL, MALAYSIA, March 2730, 2012 67

Wearable Antenna Constructed in Microstrip Technology

Marian Wnuk, Marek Bugaj, Rafal Przesmycki,
Leszek Nowosielski, and Kazimierz Piwowarczyk
Faculty of Electronics, Military University of Technology
Gen. S. Kaliskiego 2 Str., Warsaw 00-908, Poland
Abstract Recently, the so-called body-centric communication (focused around the human
body) has become a very big importance in the eld of wireless communications. One of the key
issues related to this type of communication is addressed by researchers wearable antenna. The
paper presents the design of the wearable antenna made in microstrip technique working at a
frequency of 1.8 GHz. The paper presents the results of discussed numerical analysis of antennas
and the results obtained by experimental measurement.
1. INTRODUCTION
The term wearable antenna means literally dedicated antenna (or suitable) to wear. In simple
terms it can be concluded that the wearable antenna serves as element of clothes, whose purpose
is performing tasks directly related to telecommunications such as tracking and navigation, remote
computing and communication tasks related to public safety.
Recently, the so-called body-centric communication (focused around the human body) has be-
come a very big importance in the eld of wireless communications. One of the key issues related to
this type of communication is addressed by researchers wearable antennas. Typically, the require-
ments for this type of antennas used in modern solutions include small size and weight, low cost,
virtually maintenance-free and no need for installation. Communications-type body-centric sphere
of interest lies in areas such as medical emergency, re-ghting and, above all military. However
wearable antenna can also be used by athletes for example to monitoring.
2. DETERMINATION THE DIMENSIONS OF THE ANTENNA ELEMENTS
The main values characterizing the antenna radiator is a rectangular width W and length L of the
patch. The width of radiating patch is fairly small eect on the shape of the antenna radiation
pattern, but aect the input impedance and antenna operating band. Increasing the width of
the radiator resulting in an increase in radiated power, expands bandwidth and increases eciency.
Critical parameter is the length of the radiator, because it determines the resonant frequency of the
antenna. It is assumed that the ratio of emitter width to its length should be 1 < W/L < 2. In the
case of an antenna designed assumes that relationship. Through the parameterization values were
assigned values of W and L satisfying the above condition on the basis of the following relationships
(2 and 3):
L =
c
2f
r

re
2L, (1)
where
re
is the eective dielectric constant, which is (for W = 51, 262 mm):

re
=

r
+ 1
2
+

r
1
2

1 + 12
h
W

1/2
= 2, 487. (2)
At the ends of the radiator are scattered elds that extend on both sides of the radiator with a
value of extension. This size was determined as follows:
L = 0, 412h

re
+ 0, 300

re
0, 258
W/h + 0, 264
W/h + 0, 813
= 0, 773 [mm]. (3)
Hence, the nal length of the the patch is:
L = W = 51, 262 [mm]. (4)
68 PIERS Proceedings, Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA, March 2730, 2012
3. MODEL ANTENY NASOBNEJ PRACUJA CEJ W PA

SMIE 1.8 GHZ

Using a xed antenna design in the previous section and simulation environment CST Microwave
Studio was the nal model was based on the physical antenna. As a result of the design process
nally selected dielectric with parameters:
h
2
= 1.524 mm,
2
= 2.6-Rogers-RT/ULTRALAM 2000
Figure 2 shows the detailed dimensions of the created model. For such a set model, set the
basic parameters and characteristics of the antenna. The lowest value of the VSWR was obtained
at a frequency of 1.79 GHz (Fig. 3). This gives a deviation from the assumed antenna resonance
frequency equal to 10 MHz, or approximately 0.56% f
r
.
Figure 4 shows the radiation characteristics of the antenna model. Antenna directivity is 7.18 dB.
Input resistance of designed antenna for frequency 1.79 GHz is 49.25 (Fig. 3(b)). Fig. 4 shows
the radiation pattern of designed antenna. The radiation propagates along the Z axis, used the
(a) (b)
Figure 1: Model of the proposed antenna. (a) Construction of the antenna. (b) General view.
Figure 2: Dimensional model analyzed antenna.
(a) (b)
Figure 3: The course of (a) VSWR and (b) real part of impedance as a function of frequency.
Progress In Electromagnetics Research Symposium Proceedings, KL, MALAYSIA, March 2730, 2012 69
screen causes the radiation propagated in the direction of the human body is suppressed by about
15 dB.
4. MEASUREMENTS
In order to verify the results obtained in the simulation we performed measurements of electrical
parameters and radiation characteristics of selected antenna. In order to investigate the antenna
were measured the following parameters: VSWR, radiation patterns and input impedance. The
measurement of VSWR and input impedance (real and imaginary part) of the discussed microstrip
(a) (b)
Figure 4: Characteristics of the radiation model designed antenna polarization V at a frequency of 1790 MHz.
(a) In polar coordinates. (b) Spatial.
Figure 5: Wearable antenna during the measurements in the anechoic chamber.
(a) (b)
Figure 6: The measured value parameters of the designed antenna as a function of frequency (green-
measurement antenna positioned on soldier, blue-measurement in free space. (a) The VSWR. (b) Input
impedance.
70 PIERS Proceedings, Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA, March 2730, 2012

(a) (b)
Figure 7: The radiation pattern of antenna model in polarization V (green color-measurement of the antenna
placed on a soldier, blue-measurement in free space). (a) 1780 MHz. (b) 1790 MHz.

(a) (b)
Figure 8: The radiation pattern of antenna model in polarization H (green color-measurement of the antenna
placed on a soldier, blue-measurement in free space). (a) 1780 MHz. (b) 1790 MHz.
active antennas in frequency domain are presented below (Fig. 7)
The measurements in anechoic chamber is shown in Fig. 6.
The results obtained by measuring conrm the correctness of performed simulations. Clearly
show that the parameters associated with the antenna impedance matching in fact do not change
(Fig. 6) without the insight of whether the antenna is in free space or close to the human body.
This is a very desirable feature because the antenna during human movement changes its distance
in relation to the human body.
In Figs. 7 and 8 shows the comparison of the characteristics of radiation in two planes of
polarization measured in free space and near the body. The results obtained allow to conclude that
the human body introduces additional damping in the reverse direction antenna. In the direction
of the main stands no signicant change, which is an advantage this construction of antenna.
Progress In Electromagnetics Research Symposium Proceedings, KL, MALAYSIA, March 2730, 2012 71
5. CONCLUSIONS
Microstrip antennas are now widely used in the construction of modern aerials, primarily in the
so-called reported. antenna systems. Such technologies are used both in the construction of radar
antennas, Wi-Fi and cellular sector antennas in UMTS. Antenna design is a modern solution for
a compact antenna device form, which is especially important in a situation to use it on moving
objects. The results of measurements show that the designed and constructed antenna has a small
inuence on the human body and its performance characteristics. The measurement results fully
conrm the possibility of using planar antenna constructed as wearable antenna.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The research work nanced from the nancial funds assigned to the science in the years 2011/2013
as the development work. The research work is realized in Poland.
REFERENCES
1. Rais, N. H. M., P. J. Soh, F. Malek, S. Ahmad, N. B. M. Hashim, and P. S. Hall A Re-
view of Wearable Antenna, Loughborough Antennas & Propagation Conference, Loughborough,
November 2009.
2. Garg, R., P. Bhartia, I. Bahl, and A. Ittipiboon, Microstrip Antenna Design Handbook, Artech
House Inc., Norwood, 2001.
3. Bialecki, M., Bydgoski Biuletyn Mikrofalowy, Bydgoszcz, Czerwiec 2005.