Design of a Compact Dual-Band Antenna for On-/Off Body Communication

Abstract

In this paper, a compact, dual-band, patch antenna structure for body-centric relay node communication is presented. The antenna is designed to operate at Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) bands at 2.45 GHz for receiving data from intra-body sensor nodes and 5.0 GHz for transmitting signal to external monitoring device. The antenna is designed by using coplanar waveguide feed and etching two open-end slots on radiating patch. Overall antenna dimensions are 15 mm × 28 mm × 1.57 mm. Effective dielectric constant for the multiple dielectric layers, due to its heterogeneous tissue structure, has been calculated. Antenna performance is measured both in free space and on tissue model. On body, a wide bandwidth of 250 and 370 MHz is obtained that enhances antenna robustness to operate on different types of body tissues. Radiation pattern toward the surface of body at 2.45 GHz and directional pattern normal to the surface of body at 5.0 GHz are achieved. High directivity of 7.18 dBi at 5.0 GHz is obtained which is good to maintain robust communication link with the external control unit. Small size, good radiation characteristics and low SAR value make the antenna a good choice for operating in close proximity to human body.

KEYWORDS:

• Effective dielectric constant
• Frequency detuning
• Heterogeneous tissue
• Open end slots
• Specific absorption rate

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anupma Gupta

Anupma Gupta received her BTech degree in electronics and communication engineering from Guru Jambheshwar University, India, in 2006 and MTech degree from Maharishi Markandeshwar University, Mullana, India, in 2010. She is currently pursuing PhD at Thapar University. Her main research interests are design and optimization of microstrip antennas, biomedical telemetry and electromagnetics.

Ankush Kansal

Ankush Kansal received his BTech and MTech degree in electronics and communication engineering from PTU, Jalandhar and PhD from Thapar University, Patiala in the area of wireless communication. He is currently working as assistant professor in Thapar University, Patiala. He has published 25 research articles. He is a life time member of ISTE. His research interests includes networking, wireless communication, image processing and embedded systems.E-mail: [email protected]

Paras Chawla

Paras Chawla received his BTech (Honors) and MTech degree in electronics and communication engineering from Kurukshetra University; NIT, Kurukshetra and PhD from Thapar University, Patiala. He has more than 14 years of teaching experience and currently working as professor and HOD in ECE Department at Chandigarh University, Mohali (India). He has guided sixteen MTech dissertations and guiding 7 students of PhD. He received the “Coventor Scholarship Award” from MANCEF, New Mexico-USA for his proposal in conference COMS-2010. His team received consecutive two years “Tenderfoot Award” collaborated given by American Astronautical Society and American Institute of Aeronautics, for “CanSat Competition”, June 2015 and 2016, Burkett, Texas, USA. His main research interest includes microstrip antennas, RF MEMS, RF front-end mobile terminal, LTE, and 5G. He has published more than 50 papers one SCI book chapter and filed ten patents.E-mail: [email protected]