access icon free Flexible dual-diversity wearable wireless node integrated on a dual-polarised textile patch antenna

A new textile wearable wireless node, for operation in the 2.45 GHz industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) band, is proposed. It consists of a dual-polarised textile patch antenna with integrated microcontroller, sensor, memory and transceiver with receive diversity. Integrated into a garment, the flexible unit may serve for fall detection, as well as for patient or rescue-worker monitoring. Fragile and lossy interconnections are eliminated. They are replaced by very short radiofrequency signal paths in the antenna feed plane, reducing electromagnetic compatibility and signal integrity problems. The compact and flexible module combines sensing and wireless channel monitoring functionality with reliable and energy-efficient off-body wireless communication capability, by fully exploiting dual polarisation diversity. By integrating a battery, a fully autonomous and flexible system is obtained. This novel textile wireless node was validated, both in flat and bent state, in the anechoic chamber, assessing the characteristics of the integrated system in free-space conditions. Moreover, its performance was verified in various real-world conditions, integrated into a firefighter garment, and used as an autonomous body-centric measurement device.

Inspec keywords: biomedical communication; anechoic chambers (electromagnetic); microstrip antennas; clothing; electromagnetic wave polarisation; diversity reception; antenna feeds; wearable antennas; radiofrequency interference; electromagnetic compatibility; fabrics; patient monitoring

Other keywords: electromagnetic compatibility reduction; signal integrity problem; rescue worker monitoring; firefighter garment; radiofrequency signal; ISM band; integrated microcontroller; patient monitoring; communication reliability; energy efficient off-body wireless communication; transceiver; memory; antenna feed plane; autonomous body centric measurement device; frequency 2.45 GHz; flexible module; dual polarisation diversity; dual polarised textile patch antenna; autonomous system; sensor; wireless channel monitoring functionality; free-space conditions; flexible dual diversity wearable wireless node; flexible system; anechoic chamber; textile wearable wireless node; compact module; fall detection

Subjects: Electromagnetic compatibility and interference; Biomedical communication; Antenna accessories; Electromagnetic wave propagation; Single antennas

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http://iet.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.1049/iet-smt.2013.0224
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