From Threads to Smart Textile: Parametric Characterization and Electromagnetic Analysis of Woven Structures

• Published in: IEEE access Vol. 7; pp. 1486 - 1501
• Main Authors: Alonso-Gonzalez, Leticia, Ver-Hoeye, Samuel, Fernandez-Garcia, Miguel, Vazquez-Antuna, Carlos, Las-Heras Andres, Fernando
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Piscataway IEEE 2019; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Analytical models; Antennas; Circuit design; circuits; Dielectrics; electromagnetic analysis; Electromagnetic properties; Extrusion; Frequency modulation; Mathematical model; Mathematical models; microwave; Microwave circuits; modeling technique; multifilament yarns; simulations; skin effect; Smart materials; smart textile; threads; Wearable technology; Weaving; woven structures; Yarn
• ISSN: 2169-3536; 2169-3536
• DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2018.2886041

This paper presents a complete and enhanced description of a parametric characterization and an electromagnetic analysis technique in order to simulate complex woven structures for the design of wearable microwave circuits and antennas based on smart textile. On the one hand, the parametric characterization consists of achieving the mathematical models which describe the different patterns conformed by the threads of the woven structures. This characterization takes into account the possible deformations of the materials inside the woven structure. On the other hand, the electromagnetic analysis technique consists of studying the conductive or dielectric parameters which describe the materials from which the threads have been extruded, and predicting the electromagnetic behavior of whole woven structures using the already explained parametric characterization. For this purpose, three different, although electromagnetically equivalent, models of the involved materials are needed, which subsequently reduce the computational resources required in the simulations. As a result, the woven structures can be characterized from the involved threads and the electromagnetic behavior can be analyzed in order to design wearable antennas or circuits.