Abstract

This study presents a low-cost, compact, flexible, and wideband wearable antenna designed for Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN) applications. The antenna operates across multiple frequency bands, including the Medical Body Area Network (MBAN) at 2.4 GHz, the Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band at 2.45 GHz, the WiMAX band at 3.5 GHz, and the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) band at 5.2 GHz. The proposed design features a hexagonal microstrip radiator patch fabricated on a low-cost photo paper substrate, while a defected ground plane beneath the feed line serves as a partial ground, improving impedance matching and bandwidth. The fabricated antenna has a compact footprint of 30 × 40 mm², with a wide operational bandwidth of 3 GHz (2.30–5.30 GHz), making it highly suitable for body-worn wireless communication systems. 

Performance analysis reveals that the antenna maintains high radiation efficiency (above 91%) and stable gain across all operating bands. The measured gain values at key frequencies are 2.12 dBi at 2.45 GHz, 2.52 dBi at 3.5 GHz, and 4.3 dBi at 5.2 GHz, with corresponding efficiencies of 93.09%, 92.72%, and 91.43%, respectively. Furthermore, extensive bending analysis was conducted to evaluate the antenna’s performance under structural deformations. The results indicate minimal degradation, with a gain variation from 2.05 dBi to 2.18 dBi and an efficiency range of 93.04% to 94.8% across bending configurations, including 30 mm, 60 mm, and 90 mm bending radii. Additionally, specific absorption rate (SAR) analysis confirms compliance with safety standards, making the antenna suitable for continuous human-body interaction.  The combination of high efficiency, stable gain, and robustness under bending conditions makes the proposed antenna an ideal solution for wearable healthcare monitoring, IoT-enabled body sensor networks, and smart textile applications. Its low-cost fabrication, mechanical flexibility, and superior performance make it a promising technology for next-generation wireless body-worn communication systems. The results of this study contribute to the advancement of compact, efficient, and durable wearable antennas for seamless WBAN connectivity in diverse application scenarios.