An Ingenious DGS Based Door Lever Shaped–Flexible Ultra-Wide Band Antenna With Reduced SAR for Remote Healthcare, Bioelectronics, and Advancing Future AR and VR Technology

Abstract

Conventional antennas are typically made from rigid materials, limiting their flexibility and adaptability for wearable applications. This work presents a novel flexible ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna integrated with electro-textiles, operating over the 3.55–14.3 GHz frequency range. The proposed antenna, made from jeans fabric with low dielectric properties, ensures a reduced specific absorption rate (SAR) and is optimized for multiple applications. These include consumer bioelectronics for real-time health monitoring, biomedical devices for drug delivery, and C-band communications used on satellites. Moreover, these applications incorporate augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) technology for psychiatric care and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). The antenna also supports Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and Rapid Auto Steering (RAS) systems, which were also used for cancer detection. The antenna attains an impedance bandwidth of 120% within the 3.55–14.3 GHz range, with resonance frequencies at 3.73, 8.8, and 12.8 GHz, all exhibiting a return loss below −10 dB (i.e., −19.8, −23.7, and 16.7 dB). It features an omnidirectional and isotropic radiation pattern, ensuring reliable performance across various operational environments. The compact prototype measures 52.8 × 60 × 1.076 mm³ (0.65λ₀ × 0.74λ₀ × 0.013λ₀ at 3.73 GHz), achieving a peak gain of 4.6 dB and an efficiency of 97.12% at 3.73 GHz. Including a Defective Ground Structure (DGS) and a line feed at the lower edge enhances impedance matching and overall antenna performance. Bending tests and SAR analysis confirm safe exposure levels, with a measured SAR of 0.99 W/kg at 12.8 GHz for 10 g of tissue, ensuring nominal health risks analogous to prolonged RF exposure. This study highlights the potential of flexible textile-based antennas for advanced healthcare, wireless communication, and wearable electronics.