Design and development of a compact wearable dipole GPS antenna

A compact GPS antenna has been designed and printed on a flexible polyimide substrate for integration into wearable devices. The design incorporates a planar dipole structure with optimised geometry to minimise volume and maximise surface current distribution. The antenna has been simulated and measured in open space and on a human wrist model; giving consistent results as presented. The printed antenna, with dimensions of 40mm×25mm (80% smaller than a wire dipole antenna with the same characteristics) is a compact and mechanically robust device capable of working inside a textile/nylon strap worn around the wrist. The antenna is interfaced with an impedance matched GPS receiver to measure time-to-first-fix for practical purposes. The antenna is integrated into wearable location tracking devices and shows promising performance in comparison to commercially available flexible GPS antennas, such as Round solutions NXP and Tao glass FXR.07.