EBG-Backed Wearable Antenna for 5.8 GHz ISM Applications

A performance-efficient wearable antenna assisted by a compactly designed electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) structure for 5.8 GHz ISM applications is detailed in this paper. The design embodies a planar geometry actualized on Rogers® RT/duroid 5880 laminate constituting a total dimensional size of 0.6 λ x 0.6 λ x 0.06 λ. The performance of a conventional antenna sufficiently descends when placed adjacent to the highly dispersive human body. One way to constrict the influence of body tissues is to maintain adequate isolation amid the body and the antenna. With that perspective, a 2x2 EBG structure is annexed on the reverse side of the antenna to achieve high performance with reduced back radiation and SAR value. The insertion of EBG in the basic design led to an amplified gain of 7.2 dBi, enhanced FBR of 13 dB, considerably reducing SAR to more than 95%. Besides, the radiation characteristics of the antenna have been practically studied for its bent configuration. Moreover, to comply with its adequacy as a body-worn antenna, the performance has been investigated experimentally on different body parts. The results overlay perfectly, which manifests its credibility for body-worn applications.