Investigation of the ear-to-ear radio propagation channel

The effect of the head size on the ear-to-ear radio propagation channel as a part of a body-centric wireless network is examined. The channel quality is evaluated at 2:45 GHz in terms of path gain (|S₂₁|) between two monopole antennas that are placed normal to the surface of the head. The investigation is done by SAM head phantom measurements and HFSS simulations. The investigations include setups where some propagation paths are blocked by an absorbing material. It is found that the characteristics of the head may cause constructive or destructive interference that may result in up to 10 dB variation in the path gain.