Design and Optimization of Stacked Wideband On-Body Antenna with Parasitic Elements and Defected Ground Structure for Biomedical Applications Using SB-SADEA Method

The ability to measure vital signs using electromagnetic waves has been extensively investigated as a less intrusive method capable of assessing different biosignal sources while using a single device. On-body antennas, when directly coupled to the human body, offer a comfortable and effective alter...

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Main Authors: Mariana Amador, Mobayode O. Akinsolu, Qiang Hua, João Cardoso, Daniel Albuquerque, Pedro Pinho
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Bioengineering
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/12/2/138
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author Mariana Amador
Mobayode O. Akinsolu
Qiang Hua
João Cardoso
Daniel Albuquerque
Pedro Pinho
author_facet Mariana Amador
Mobayode O. Akinsolu
Qiang Hua
João Cardoso
Daniel Albuquerque
Pedro Pinho
author_sort Mariana Amador
collection DOAJ
description The ability to measure vital signs using electromagnetic waves has been extensively investigated as a less intrusive method capable of assessing different biosignal sources while using a single device. On-body antennas, when directly coupled to the human body, offer a comfortable and effective alternative for daily monitoring. Nonetheless, on-body antennas are challenging to design primarily due to the high dielectric constant of body tissues. While the simulation process may often include a body model, a unique model cannot account for inter-individual variability, leading to discrepancies in measured antenna parameters. A potential solution is to increase the antenna’s bandwidth, guaranteeing the antenna’s impedance matching and robustness for all users. This work describes a new on-body microstrip antenna having a stacked structure with parasitic elements, designed and optimized using artificial intelligence (AI). By using an AI-driven design approach, a self-adaptive Bayesian neural network surrogate-model-assisted differential evolution for antenna optimization (SB-SADEA) method to be specific, and a stacked structure having parasitic elements and a defected ground structure with 27 tuneable design parameters, the simulated impedance bandwidth of the on-body antenna was successfully enhanced from 150 MHz to 1.3 GHz, while employing a single and simplified body model in the simulation process. Furthermore, the impact of inter-individual variability on the measured S-parameters was analyzed. The measured results relative to ten subjects revealed that for certain subjects, the SB-SADEA-optimized antenna’s bandwidth reached 1.6 GHz.
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spelling doaj-art-64d533f3f010487f921a27ed3d6dbfbc2025-08-20T02:44:59ZengMDPI AGBioengineering2306-53542025-01-0112213810.3390/bioengineering12020138Design and Optimization of Stacked Wideband On-Body Antenna with Parasitic Elements and Defected Ground Structure for Biomedical Applications Using SB-SADEA MethodMariana Amador0Mobayode O. Akinsolu1Qiang Hua2João Cardoso3Daniel Albuquerque4Pedro Pinho5Instituto de Telecomunicações, Departamento de Eletrónica, Telecomunicações e Informática, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalFaculty of Arts, Computing and Engineering, Wrexham University, Wales LL11 2AW, UKSchool of Computing and Engineering, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield HD1 3DH, UKInstituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, Departamento de Engenharia Eletrotécnica e de Computadores, 1959-007 Lisboa, PortugalEscola Superior de Tecnologia e Gestão de Águeda, Universidade de Aveiro, 3750-127 Águeda, PortugalInstituto de Telecomunicações, Departamento de Eletrónica, Telecomunicações e Informática, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalThe ability to measure vital signs using electromagnetic waves has been extensively investigated as a less intrusive method capable of assessing different biosignal sources while using a single device. On-body antennas, when directly coupled to the human body, offer a comfortable and effective alternative for daily monitoring. Nonetheless, on-body antennas are challenging to design primarily due to the high dielectric constant of body tissues. While the simulation process may often include a body model, a unique model cannot account for inter-individual variability, leading to discrepancies in measured antenna parameters. A potential solution is to increase the antenna’s bandwidth, guaranteeing the antenna’s impedance matching and robustness for all users. This work describes a new on-body microstrip antenna having a stacked structure with parasitic elements, designed and optimized using artificial intelligence (AI). By using an AI-driven design approach, a self-adaptive Bayesian neural network surrogate-model-assisted differential evolution for antenna optimization (SB-SADEA) method to be specific, and a stacked structure having parasitic elements and a defected ground structure with 27 tuneable design parameters, the simulated impedance bandwidth of the on-body antenna was successfully enhanced from 150 MHz to 1.3 GHz, while employing a single and simplified body model in the simulation process. Furthermore, the impact of inter-individual variability on the measured S-parameters was analyzed. The measured results relative to ten subjects revealed that for certain subjects, the SB-SADEA-optimized antenna’s bandwidth reached 1.6 GHz.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/12/2/138on-body antennawideband antennaantenna designantenna optimization
spellingShingle Mariana Amador
Mobayode O. Akinsolu
Qiang Hua
João Cardoso
Daniel Albuquerque
Pedro Pinho
Design and Optimization of Stacked Wideband On-Body Antenna with Parasitic Elements and Defected Ground Structure for Biomedical Applications Using SB-SADEA Method
Bioengineering
on-body antenna
wideband antenna
antenna design
antenna optimization
title Design and Optimization of Stacked Wideband On-Body Antenna with Parasitic Elements and Defected Ground Structure for Biomedical Applications Using SB-SADEA Method
title_full Design and Optimization of Stacked Wideband On-Body Antenna with Parasitic Elements and Defected Ground Structure for Biomedical Applications Using SB-SADEA Method
title_fullStr Design and Optimization of Stacked Wideband On-Body Antenna with Parasitic Elements and Defected Ground Structure for Biomedical Applications Using SB-SADEA Method
title_full_unstemmed Design and Optimization of Stacked Wideband On-Body Antenna with Parasitic Elements and Defected Ground Structure for Biomedical Applications Using SB-SADEA Method
title_short Design and Optimization of Stacked Wideband On-Body Antenna with Parasitic Elements and Defected Ground Structure for Biomedical Applications Using SB-SADEA Method
title_sort design and optimization of stacked wideband on body antenna with parasitic elements and defected ground structure for biomedical applications using sb sadea method
topic on-body antenna
wideband antenna
antenna design
antenna optimization
url https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/12/2/138
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