Centre for Electronic Warfare, Information and Cyber, Cranfield Defence and Security, Cranfield University, Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Shrivenham, U.K.
Akram Alomainy
Antennas and Electromagnetics Research Group, School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, U.K.
A wearable fabric CPW antenna is presented for medical body area network (MBAN) applications at 2.4 GHz based on an electromagnetic bandgap design and frequency selective surface (EBG-FSS). Without EBG-FSS, the basic antenna has an omnidirectional radiation pattern, and when operated close to human tissue, the performance and efficiency degrade, and there is a high specific absorption rate. To overcome this problem, the antenna incorporates EBG-FSS, which reduces the backward radiation, with SAR reduced by 95%. The gain is improved to 6.55 dBi and the front-to-back ratio is enhanced by 13 dB compared to the basic antenna. The overall dimensions of the integrated design are 60 × 60 × 2.4 mm3. Simulation and experimental studies reveal that the antenna integrated with EBG-FSS can tolerate loading by human tissue as well as bending. Thus, the design is a good candidate for MBAN applications.
