Wearable Disc-Like Antenna for Body-Centric Communications at 61 GHz

In this letter, we describe the design and simulation of on-body antennas for wireless body area network (WBAN) communication operating in the 61-GHz ISM frequency band. We developed a disc-like concept of an antenna. Instead of a direct connection between a circular disc and a feeding pin, the electromagnetic coupling is used. This concept enables us to obtain relatively broadband characteristics with omnidirectional radiation pattern and vertical polarization suitable for on-body communication. Impedance properties and radiation of the antenna were studied in open space and on a tissue-equivalent phantom representing the human body. Fabricated prototype is well matched from 59.3 to 63.4 GHz. The bandwidth of the antenna is about 7%. An antenna analyzed close to body tissue exhibits efficiency of at least 25% and the maximum gain 5.2 dB in the horizontal plane.