Flexible Ultra Wide Band Antenna for WBAN Applications

Abstract

This paper introduces a small-sized, low-profile, planar and flexible ultra-wide band (UWB) antenna using natural rubber as the substrate. It is the primary approach in using natural rubber as the substrate for UWB antenna. The UWB antenna is designed for applications in WBAN, which is the current revolution in wireless sensor networks. The antenna operates from 3.1-10.6 GHz, which is a candidate for WBAN operation. The flexible nature of the antenna makes it convenient for the use as a body worn antenna for WBAN. This paper is a case study of whether rubber can be used as a substrate for UWB antenna and compares the performance using FR4 substrate.