A comparison of phantom models for on-body communications

Full wave simulations with realistic models of the human body are a powerful tool to study Body Area Networks. Usually, some simplifications are introduced in simulation models to speed up computation routines, and to save memory resources. This paper analyses the use of truncated voxel models, and discusses the option of using homogeneous or voxel phantoms. The metric used for the assessment is the performance of a patch antenna placed near the body (human or phantom). The statistical behaviour of the patch radiation pattern (over distance to the body) is compared via measurements and simulations. A pattern average difference of 0.9 dB is found, in the area of interest for on-body communications. The performance of the patch when using homogeneous or voxel models is very similar (12% difference), and a reduction of 5 times in the simulation time is obtained when using homogeneous models.