Conformal self-balanced EBG integrated printed folded dipole antenna for wireless body area networks

• Published in: IET microwaves, antennas & propagation Vol. 13; no. 14; pp. 2480 - 2485
• Main Authors: Balakrishnan, Sakthi Abirami, Sundarsingh, Esther Florence
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Institution of Engineering and Technology 27.11.2019
• Subjects: antenna design; antenna radiation patterns; body area networks; conformal printed T‐shaped antenna; conformal self‐balanced EBG; copper tape; dipole antennas; EBG surface; electromagnetic bandgap; frequency 2.4 GHz; human arm; impedance matching; industrial‐scientific‐medical radio bands; integrated printed folded dipole antenna; medical radio bands; microstrip antennas; photonic band gap; polyester film; Research Article; specific absorption rate; two‐element EBG; UHF antennas; WBAN; wearable antennas; wireless body area network; medical radio bands; two-element EBG; photonic band gap; conformal self-balanced EBG; body area networks; EBG surface; integrated printed folded dipole antenna; microstrip antennas; wireless body area network; human arm; electromagnetic bandgap; dipole antennas; polyester film; impedance matching; WBAN; antenna design; frequency 2.4 GHz; antenna radiation patterns; conformal printed T-shaped antenna; UHF antennas; industrial-scientific-medical radio bands; specific absorption rate; copper tape; wearable antennas
• ISSN: 1751-8725; 1751-8733; 1751-8733
• DOI: 10.1049/iet-map.2019.0029

A self-balanced electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) integrated, conformal printed T-shaped folded dipole antenna for wireless body area network (WBAN) is proposed in this study. The folded dipole antenna designed using polyester film and copper tape operates at 2.4 GHz industrial, scientific and medical radio bands. Integrating antenna with a two-element EBG reduces the frequency shift and back scattering of radiation into the body. The higher impedance bandwidth of the folded dipole plays a key role in maintaining resonance while the antenna is wrapped on a human arm. When the antenna is conformed on a human arm, EBG surface minimises the specific absorption rate (SAR), increases the gain and front-to-back ratio (FBR). Additionally, full-wave simulations and measurements were done to validate the proposed antenna design even when conformed to the human arm of people from different age groups. The FBR and gain of the antenna are improved by 75 and 61% and SAR has been reduced by 99% when it is integrated with EBG. The good impedance matching, high gain and FBR and reduced SAR make it a perfect candidate for WBAN.