UWB on-body slotted patch antennas for in-body communications

One of the most relevant challenges of next generation in-body devices consists in enhancing the medical applications of wireless networks qualitatively. The current standard does not allow high data rate wireless connections between implanted nodes. UWB systems have been considered as a potential candidate for future in-body devices. To establish a proper link within UWB, antenna matching should be ensured within the frequency range of interest. Besides, a good wave penetration trough the biological tissues is totally essential. In this work, several UWB on-body slotted patch antenna models are assessed and discussed. According to the propagation medium, the on-body antenna designs have been miniaturized and optimized taking into account the dielectric properties of human tissues. After a thorough comparison between antenna models, an optimized model has been manufactured. Finally, the performance of the optimized antenna prototype has been assessed.