Flexible sheet-shaped waveguide for body-centric wireless communications

Abstract

There have been growing interests in bodycentric wireless communications. As a new candidate to support on-body propagation, this paper proposes to wear a smart suit, a subsidiary waveguide which wireless devices couple to. Our proposal waveguide is called as a free access mat which limits the arrival domain of radio systems to the area around itself. Wireless devices couple to it and the electromagnetic wave transmits through it. Data and power transmission is therefore possible through it. This paper presents experimental study of free access mat using flexible conductive textile which provides with conformity to wearable devices. This paper shows that flexible free access mat is applicable to body-centric wireless communications.

Transmission enhancement using textile artificial magnetic conductor with coplanar waveguide monopole antenna

“…However, wearable antennas are exposed to performance distortion when applied to human body. Due to this drawback, a new approach was fabricated . The new method complements wearable antennas with waveguide structure, which enables better wave propagation by guiding electromagnetic waves from point to point.…”

“…The new method complements wearable antennas with waveguide structure, which enables better wave propagation by guiding electromagnetic waves from point to point. Waveguide sheet had been implemented in short range wireless communication as well as in design of jackets and blankets for body‐centric communication . In this study, a conformal jacket that acts as the communication medium is equipped with artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) structures that improve the transmission between wireless devices.…”

Textile Artificial Magnetic Conductor Waveguide Jacket for on-Body Transmission Enhancement

“…Thus, under all these circumstances, it is hard for the antennas attached on human body to remain operational. Due to the drawbacks mentioned, a new approach was fabricated [23]. The new method complements wearable antennas with waveguide structure, which enables better wave propagation.…”

“…Waveguide is a structure that guides electromagnetic waves from point to point. Waveguide sheet had been implemented in short range wireless communication [24,25] as well as in design of jackets and blankets for body-centric wireless communication [26][27][28].…”

Textile waveguide sheet with Artificial Magnetic Conductor structures for transmission enhancement between wire dipoles

“…The presence of human body introduces high transmission loss between on-body antennas that is undesirable for an efficient wireless networking system within human body. Thus, a new approach to body centric communication using a waveguide structure was fabricated [2][3]. This study serves as an investigation of the possibility of a textile AMC sheet-like waveguide to improve transmission between antennas.…”