Conformal Wearable Monopole Antenna Backed by a Compact EBG Structure for Body Area Networks

A compact planar monopole antenna backed by an electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) structure is presented. The antenna is conformal to the human body and is intended for wearable applications in wireless body area networks. It operates at 2.45 GHz, and is fabricated on a 68mm by 38mm by 1.57mm semi-flexible substrate. The performance of the antenna does not degrade with structural bends along both of its axes, thus making it robust to structural deformation. In all cases it maintains a fractional impedance bandwidth in the range of 5%, with a gain ranging from 6.3 to 6.7 dBi. The antenna performance is also insensitive to the antenna location on the human body. For placements of the antenna on the arm, chest and leg, it maintained a 5% impedance bandwidth with radiation efficiencies above 70% and an average gain of 7.3 dBi.