Detecting Different Stages of Alzheimer's Disease Using an Ultra-Thin Wearable Antenna

The paper explores the design of a patch antenna tailored for Alzheimer's disease (AD) detection, incorporating ultra-wideband (UWB) capabilities. This antenna features a slotted circular disc antenna patch and a partial ground with strategically positioned slots to enhance performance. Constructed with optimized dimensions of
$\text{50}\times \text{35}\times \text{0.1}\ \text{mm}^{\mathrm{3}}$
using Ultra-lam 3850 substrate, the prototype showcases an impressive bandwidth of 8.55 GHz (2.02-10.57 GHz), peak gains of 2.36 dBi at 2.4 GHz and 3.1 dBi at 7.48 GHz, and consistently high radiation efficiency at 92.5% and 90.5% at 2.4 GHz and 2.48 GHz, respectively. The validation process involves analysis using 3D CST 2019 simulator software. The study evaluates both a single antenna and a four-antenna array element around a six-layer brain phantom to assess their efficacy in detecting AD stages. In practical use, the antenna safely penetrates human head tissues, adhering to safety standards with a Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) of 0.734 W/kg at 2.4 GHz and 0.00238 W/kg at 7.48 GHz. The research concludes that the proposed antenna, supported by statistical and measured data, offers a promising non-invasive method for monitoring the progression of Alzheimer's disease.