High-efficiency low-profile antennas with adjustable propagating modes for wireless body area networks
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen's University Belfast
Department Name: Sch of Electronics, Elec Eng & Comp Sci
Abstract
Wireless Body Area Networking (WBAN) is an important area of emerging technology where a network of bodyworn or personal electronic devices is established, most often using radio communications. A WBAN may also have to support person-person or wider area communications. Therefore, a WBAN is an important and challenging environment for bodyworn antennas since they may be required to support or be configured to yield quite distinct propagating modes such as: on-body only, off-body (e.g., cellular or wireless LAN) only, or some combination of these. In addition, an ideal antenna for WBAN use will be low profile or conformal, efficient with minimal power losses in body tissues and not adversely affected by the user's movements. This work will address these challenges directly by creating and investigating a new class of wideband low-profile patch-antenna elements with reduced groundplane currents (higher efficiency and greater safety) and with a tangential propagating mode for both over the body surface communications. The tangential propagating mode also has the potential for achieving omnidirectional coverage from one antenna element depending on the operating frequency, albeit with additional losses in the through body direction. The achievement of these aims will involve detailed work in the area of patch element design, the use of advanced dielectric materials and will leverage the latest research on electromagnetic metamaterials. Although the work will focus on antennas for the 2.4 GHz industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) band, consideration will be given to lower frequencies down to 400 MHz in support applications such as medical device networking. The project will use both theoretical and numerical analysis and the funding requested will allow the experimental validation of the work, specifically in terms of whole body radiation efficiency measurements and radio-over-fibre measurements of on-body antenna element coupling.
Organisations
- Queen's University Belfast (Lead Research Organisation)
- Home Office (Collaboration)
- Microsemi (United Kingdom) (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- European Antennas (Collaboration)
- Taconic International (Collaboration)
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Project Partner)
- Taconic International Ltd. (Project Partner)
Publications
Catherwood P
(2009)
Link characteristics for an off-body UWB transmitter in a hospital environment
Scanlon W
(2012)
Analog Circuit Design
Cotton S
(2009)
Autocorrelation of signal fading in wireless body area networks
Chandran A
(2010)
Dual-band low profile antennas for body-centric communications
Conway G
(2010)
An analytical path-loss model for on-body radio propagation
Chandran A
(2009)
Reduced groundplane shorted patch antenna for on-body communications
Cotton S
(2009)
Characterization and modeling of on-body spatial diversity within indoor environments at 868 MHz
in IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications
Cotton S
(2009)
An experimental investigation into the influence of user state and environment on fading characteristics in wireless body area networks at 2.45 GHz
in IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications
Conway G
(2009)
Antennas for Over-Body-Surface Communication at 2.45 GHz
in IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation
Cotton S
(2009)
Measurements, Modeling and Simulation of the Off-Body Radio Channel for the Implementation of Bodyworn Antenna Diversity at 868 MHz
in IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation
Cotton S
(2009)
Channel Characterization for Single- and Multiple-Antenna Wearable Systems Used for Indoor Body-to-Body Communications
in IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation
Cotton S
(2009)
A Time-Domain Approach to the Analysis and Modeling of On-Body Propagation Characteristics Using Synchronized Measurements at 2.45 GHz
in IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation
Conway G
(2009)
An Antennas and Propagation Approach to Improving Physical Layer Performance in Wireless Body Area Networks
in IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications
Conway G
(2008)
In Situ Measurement of UHF Wearable Antenna Radiation Efficiency Using a Reverberation Chamber
in IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters
Cotton S
(2008)
The $\kappa-\mu$ Distribution Applied to the Analysis of Fading in Body to Body Communication Channels for Fire and Rescue Personnel
in IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters
Catherwood P
(2014)
The Influence of the User in Body-Centric Antennas and Propagation at 3-6 GHz-A Rician $K$-Factor Approach
in IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters
| Description | European Antennas Ltd |
| Organisation | European Antennas |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| Start Year | 2006 |
| Description | Home Office Sci Development Branch |
| Organisation | Home Office |
| Department | Home Office Scientific Development Branch |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| Start Year | 2006 |
| Description | Taconic International Ltd. |
| Organisation | Taconic International |
| Country | Ireland |
| Sector | Private |
| Start Year | 2006 |
| Description | Zarlink Semiconductor |
| Organisation | Zarlink Semiconductor |
| Country | Canada |
| Sector | Private |
| Start Year | 2006 |
| Title | ANTENNAS |
| Description | An antenna comprising an antenna feed element, a dielectric structure comprising a first end portion, a second end portion and a central portion extending between the first and second end portions which at least partially surrounds the antenna feed element, and a groundplane provided on the first end portion of the dielectric structure, wherein the central portion of the dielectric structure tapers from at least one of the first and second end portions of the dielectric structure towards an other of the first and second end portions of the dielectric structure. An antenna system comprising a plurality of antennas of the invention, wherein each antenna emits electromagnetic signals to at least one other antenna, and when used in conjunction with a body, the plurality of antennas may be positioned adjacent the body at spaced locations of the body. The body may comprise a human body and the antennas may be attached to the body or to a covering on the body. The antenna system may then comprise a wearable antenna system. |
| IP Reference | WO2009010724 |
| Protection | Patent granted |
| Year Protection Granted | 2009 |
| Licensed | No |