Epidermal Backscattering Antennas in the 5G Framework: Performance and Perspectives

Epidermal RFIDs, if integrated within the next-generation (5G) wireless architecture, would enable low-cost healthcare applications for remote monitoring of patients, real-time telesurgery, and augmented sensing abilities. This paper explores, through simulations and preliminary experiments, epidermal 5G-RFIDs operating both at microwave and mmWave frequencies. In particular, it identifies the maximum gains of epidermal antennas at their optimal sizes, the achievable read ranges of passive 5G-RFID links, and their possible data-rates. Moreover, it demonstrates the compliance with electromagnetic exposure regulations and explores the benefits of epidermal arrays. Loop transponders at microwave frequencies (3.6 GHz) could provide the same read distance (one meter) of their UHF counterparts while having a smaller footprint (17 × 17 mm
²
) and reaching a theoretical data-rate as high as 0.5 Gbps. At 28 GHz and 60 GHz, instead, arrays could be used to both achieve comparable performances and enable beamsteering.