volume | PIER Journals

Abstract

Recent advancement in ultra-low-power electronics and radio communications has significantly contributed to the development of miniaturized biomedical sensors capable of capturing and transmitting wirelessly physiological data. The characterization of signal and power transmission inside the human body is of great importance. This paper investigates the case of an intra-body wireless communication in the UHF frequency band. An implanted antenna (bent dipole) is designed to operate efficiently in a biological tissue model. Predictions of the performances obtained by 3D electromagnetic simulations are compared to measurements in a realistic environment (pork meat in a box of 18x10x7 cm³). The antennas show return loss matching of -12 dB at 1,2 GHz, in the presence of the meat. Then a characterization of the transmission link between two antennas is performed both numerically and experimentally at 1,2 GHz. At this frequency, the measured |S₂₁|² is around -35 dB at 6 cm, and -40 dB at 8 cm. The simulation of the |S₂₁|² highlights the impact of the conductivity of the tissues, driving to values of -25 to -55 dB at 6 cm, and -30 to -65 dB at 8 cm. The characterization of the pork meat is evaluated experimentally around 2 S/m. During the process of characterization, this value may be over-estimated due to the pressure applied on the sample. The simulations results are compared with measurements results, and also with retro-simulations results. The latter are considered as a worst case due to the losses implied by the over-estimated conductivity value.

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Dr. Fatiha Mghar

Dr. Antoine Diet

Dr. Chadi Gannouni

Dr. Lionel Pichon

Dr. Olivier Meyer

Prof. Stavros Koulouridis