Implantable Patch Antenna for Body Communication

Body communication plays an important role in assisting human lifestyle especially in medical applications. To realize this body communication technology, a device which allows conversion of electrical energy to electromagnetic waves is needed. Patch antenna is one of the devices that allows conversion of electrical energy to electromagnetic waves. This antenna will be inserted in the human body. However, the human body has its own dielectric constant and conductivity which then reduces the antenna efficiency. Thus, a proper study about human body properties and antenna performance is needed. For implantable antenna, the uses of substrate need to be monitor to avoid any harmful to human body tissues. Biocompatible substrate is used in designing implantable patch antenna. The design method is conducted by using some theoretical equation and judging point from typical patch antenna performance. The designed antenna then is simulated in electromagnetic simulator software. From the simulated results, the antenna performance can be observed. The optimization will take place to obtain the desired antenna performance. This paper proposes an implantable patch antenna for body communication applications.