ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the various designs of new wearable antennas and systems made using textile materials aimed at communications in the Internet of things (IOT) and medical systems. As the usage of such antennas and systems in the vicinity of the human body is challenging, it is imperative that additional steps in the design and validation procedures are implemented throughout the course of the design process. Besides that, the use of flexible textile materials may also easily cause detuning due to deformation during use. The first step in ensuring proper operation of textile antennas/systems is their topology, which must be planar in form. Besides that, a shielding mechanism between the radiator and the human body is also preferably incorporated to minimize the effects of coupling. Next, the size of the antenna/system must be considered based on the intended on-body location of use. Thirdly, the textile antenna/system must be co-designed in proximity to a human phantom to guarantee its operation when worn, besides its performance in free space. Finally, the validation of the reflection and radiation performance parameters must also incorporate additional assessment setups, both in simulations and measurements. These include validations when the antenna is used in free space and at a realistic distance from the body, and when the antenna is used in planar and deformed (bent) conditions. The reviewed textile antennas in this chapter are expected to have huge potential to be used as effective antennas in on-body environments for applications in IOT and medical systems.
