894
4, APRIL 2009
Performances of an Implanted Cavity Slot
Antenna Embedded in the Human Arm
Wei Xia, Kazuyuki Saito, Member, IEEE, Masaharu Takahashi, Senior Member, IEEE, and Koichi Ito, Fellow, IEEE
Abstract—Implantable devices have been investigated with
great interest as communication tools. These implantable devices
are embedded into the human or pet body. The vital information
(such as temperature, blood pressure, cardiac beat, etc.) can be
transmitted from implantable devices to the external equipment
by use of a wireless communication link. Therefore, the research
on the antenna for implantable devices (implanted antennas) is
very important. This paper proposes an implanted H-shaped
cavity slot antenna for short-range wireless communications.
This type of antenna, which is designed to operate at the in-
dustrial-scientific-medical band (2.45 GHz), is investigated by
using finite-difference time-domain calculation. We analyzed the
performances of the proposed antenna which is embedded into
the human body between the shoulder and the elbow. However,
since the proposed antenna is too small to fabricate, a scale model
is adopted for antenna measurements. Some characteristics of the
scale model of the antenna are also calculated and measured by
using the 2/3 muscle-equivalent phantom. The results show that
the proposed antenna has promise for use in an implant.
Index Terms—Finite-difference time domain (FDTD), implanted
antenna, scale model, 2/3 muscle-equivalent phantom.
I. INTRODUCTION
N THE 1990s, the role and possibility of implanted device
I systems were suggested for future telecommunications [1].
Meeting expectations, implanted devices are largely researched
for biotelemetry, e-healthcare, hyperthermia, etc. These devices
can be used in different kinds of applications. The examples
of the applications for humans are measurement of tempera-
ture, blood pressure, and continuous monitoring of cardiac beat
in sickrooms or intensive care units. Also, the medical records
or body information, such as allergies, can be saved in the im-
plantable devices. Thus, these devices are useful for the decision
of a diagnosis and treatment method. Moreover, identity confir-
mation and attestation of a person are also assumed for insti-
tution management, shopping, etc. Some other applications are
finding lost pets, controlling farm animals for safety and quality
management, etc.
It is suggested that the implantable devices transmit the
recorded information by using a reading device. The personal
information can be received outside the body by use of a data
exchange between the implantable device and the computer
network. Obviously, these implanted devices must be wireless
Manuscript received January 07, 2008; revised October 26, 2008. Current
version published April 08, 2009.
W. Xia and K. Ito are with the Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba Uni-
versity, Chiba 263-8522, Japan (e-mail: xiawei@graduate.chiba-u.jp).
K. Saito and M. Takahashi are with the Research Center for Frontier Medical
Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan.
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/TAP.2009.2014579
0018-926X/$25.00 © 2009 IEEE
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION, VOL. 57, NO.
when used to communicate with the exterior, because they
are embedded into the human or animal body. Therefore, it
is appreciated that the antenna of an implanted device system
has a particularly important role as the part of transmitting and
receiving power in the human body.
Until now, Microstrip or planar-inverted F antennas (PIFA)
were proposed for implantable devices, which were covered
with a dielectric material in the frequency band at 402–405 MHz
[2]–[11]. In these studies, the characteristics of the antennas,
such as input impedance, radiation pattern, and specific absorp-
tion rate (SAR) around the antenna were presented. However,
these antennas are not small enough to be embedded into the
human body. As one method of reducing the size of the an-
tenna, it can be used in the high frequency. Here, it is chosen
to be 2.40–2.48 GHz, because there is a commercially available
transceiver for this band.
Some implanted antennas were investigated for 2.45-GHz
applications [12]–[14]. Especially, in [12], an H-shaped cavity
slot antenna was proposed and the performances of the an-
tenna were calculated by the finite-difference time-domain
(FDTD) method. However, this antenna is a little big for being
embedded into the human body. Moreover, the research of
this antenna was only discussed in simulation. Therefore, in
this paper, we optimize this antenna which is assumed to be
used at 2.4–2.485 GHz in the industrial-scientific–medical
(ISM) band. The antenna can be miniaturized by setting up
the H-shape slot. As a result, the dimension of the optimized
antenna (2.8 mm 4.0 mm 1.6 mm) is 38.5% of the previous
antenna (5.2 mm 2.8 mm 3.2 mm). The characteristics
of the antenna are also calculated by the FDTD method. In
addition, since the antenna is too small for fabrication, the
performances of the antenna are measured by using a scale
model to confirm the validity of the numerical calculation.
II. LINK BUDGET FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION
In this paper, it is assumed that the proposed antenna is used in
a sickroom as illustrated in Fig. 1 for medical data transmission.
It is necessary to know some parameters related to a link budget
for communications between the implantable antenna and the
receiver. The parameters of the communication environment are
as follows: the operating frequency is fixed to 2.45 GHz and the
input power to the implanted antenna is 25 W (from the Eu-
ropean Research Council (ERC) limitation [5]). The implanted
antenna is assumed to be used in short-range communication;
therefore, the distance between the implanted antenna and the
receiving antenna is set to be 4 m. The receiving antenna is as-
sumed to be a monopole antenna on the ceiling. The availability
of the communication is decided by . If the link
exceeds required , wireless communication is possible.
XIA et al.: PERFORMANCES OF AN IMPLANTED CAVITY SLOT 895

TABLE II
CALCULATED RESULTS OF THE LINK BUDGET

Fig. 1. One example of the application for a human in a sickroom.

TABLE I
PARAMETERS OF THE LINK BUDGET

Fig. 2. Configuration of the cavity slot antenna with the coaxial feeding.

III. ANTENNA CONFIGURATION AND CALCULATION MODEL

A. Antenna Configuration
Fig. 2 shows the configuration of a cavity slot antenna with
the H-shape slot proposed as an implanted antenna. The dimen-
sion of the antenna is shown in Table III (original model). A
cavity slot antenna has the merit of high miniaturization and me-
chanical robustness. The cavity slot antenna with the H-shape
slot is made of a conductor sheet. In addition, as illustrated in
Fig. 2, dielectric material is filled into the implanted
antenna, preventing human tissues and fluids from getting in-
side. The antenna is fed by coaxial cable at the center of the an-
tenna in the direction and 0.95 mm from the upper conductor
sheet layer in the direction. The coaxial cable is 0.86 mm in di-
ameter and 184 mm (1.5 ) in length. The inner conductor of the
coaxial cable is 0.20 mm in diameter and 186.8 mm in length.
Moreover, for simplicity in the simulation of radiation charac-
teristics, the antenna model only has the inner conductor which
is in length. Then, gap feeding is set between the inner con-
ductor and perfect electrical at the left edge in Fig. 2. It should
Table I shows the parameters used to calculate the link
be noted that in this case, it is necessary to confirm the perfor-
and required . The link used (1), (3), and (4) and
mances of the antenna from the measurement. So the antenna
the required used (2), (5), and [15].
model considers using the coaxial feeding. In practical use, by
using the circuit, the antenna can be fed by a battery which is
Link
considered to be set inside the antenna or connected outside the
(1) antenna.
Required
B. Calculation Model
(2)
Fig. 3 shows the numerical calculation model when the
(3) antenna is embedded into the human’s upper arm. The antenna
is assumed to be implanted subcutaneously into the human
model between the shoulder and the elbow. The dimension of
(4) the model is 180 mm 60 mm 60 mm (original model in
(5) Table III). In this research, muscle-equivalent phantom
is employed as the human model. The electrical properties of
The calculated results are shown in Table II. Since the pro- the muscle-equivalent phantom at 2.45 GHz were found
posed implanted antenna gain is more than 26.5 dBi, the link to be 1.16 S/m [16]. The upper surface of
exceeds the required . the antenna is directed toward the surface of the skin, and the
896 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION, VOL. 57, NO. 4, APRIL 2009
TABLE III
GEOMETRICAL SCALE MODEL
Fig. 3. Numerical calculation model using the 2=3 muscle-equivalent
phantom.
distance from the surface of the antenna to the surface of the
skin is set to 4 mm. The antenna is placed in the center of the
surface of the human model.
IV. CALCULATED RESULTS
Fig. 4 shows the reflection characteristic of the antenna (orig-
inal model), when the antenna is fed by coaxial feeding and gap
feeding. From this result, it is confirmed that performance
is lower than 10 dB from 2.13 GHz to 2.80 GHz when the
antenna is fed by the coaxial feeding. Moreover, the fractional
bandwidth at the target frequency (2.45 GHz) is approximately
27.3%. By using the gap feeding, performance is lower than
10 dB from 2.10 GHz to 2.61 GHz, and the fractional band-
width is approximately 20.8%.
Fig. 5 illustrates the impedances. From the imaginary parts of
the impedance, it is confirmed that the resonant frequency of the
antenna with coaxial feeding is higher than that of the antenna
with gap excitation. The difference is caused by the effects of
the coaxial cable.
Fig. 6 indicates radiation patterns for the component (or
cross-pol component) in the -plane and for the component
(or co-pol component) in the -plane. It should be noted that
in the simulations, in the -plane, the maximum gain for the
component is 95.5 dBi, and in the -plane, the maximum
Fig. 4. Reflection characteristic (calculation) (original model).
Fig. 5. Impedances of the antenna (calculation) (original model).
gain for the component is 106.0 dBi. The gains are quite
small. So in this research, the component in the -plane
and component in the -plane are discussed.
The direction of maximum radiation in the -plane is 0
( direction). The maximum gain is approximately 24.2 dBi.
On the other hand, the maximum radiation is 38 in the
-plane, and the maximum gain is approximately 22.3 dBi.
It is confirmed that the directions of maximum radiation in both
planes are approximately in the direction (the direction to out-
side the body). According to the link budget, it is possible to use
wireless communication when the gain of the antenna is more
than 26.5 dBi. In Fig. 5, it can be stated that wireless com-
munication is possible within the range of approximately 90
centered at 0 in the -plane, or 180 centered at 0 in the
-plane. In addition, the radiation efficiency is 0.39%. This
value is very low, because the antenna is embedded into the
human model.
Moreover, since the antenna is embedded into the human
body, it is necessary to evaluate the SAR to examine whether
there is an influence on the human body. From the cal-
culated results, when the input power of the antenna is
assumed to be 25 W, the maximum 1-g average SAR value is
W/kg, which is much lower than the maximum
1-g average SAR standard value of ANSI (1.60 W/kg) [17].
V. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
In order to confirm the validity of the numerical calculations,
the antenna measurement is needed. However, the antenna is too
small for the fabrication. Therefore, a scale model is proposed
for the antenna fabrication and the measurement. In order to
simplify the measurement, the scale model of the antenna is 2.5
times larger than the original antenna which is considerably
XIA et al.: PERFORMANCES OF AN IMPLANTED CAVITY SLOT
Fig. 6. Radiation patterns of the calculation (original model). (a) xz -plane
(E ). (b) yz -plane (E ).
Fig. 7. Photograph of the fabricated antenna (scale model).
easier to fabricate. The parameters of the scale model of the
antenna and human model are summarized in Table III and [18].
By using the 2.5 times scale model, the resonant frequency of
the antenna is expected to change from 2.45 GHz to 980 MHz.
In addition, the coaxial cable used in the scale model is 0.86 mm
in diameter and 460.0 mm (about 1.5 ) in length at 980 MHz.
Fig. 7 is a photograph of the fabricated antenna. The perfor-
mances of the antenna were measured by using the muscle-
equivalent phantom. Table IV shows the composition of the
muscle-equivalent phantom at 980 MHz which is used in
measurements [19]. The electrical properties of the fabricated
phantom are 0.43 S/m. The target value of the
electric constants is 0.46 S/m. So the difference
errors for the dielectric constant and conductivity between
897
TABLE IV
COMPOSITION OF THE PHANTOM
Fig. 8. Impedances of the antenna (calculation) (scale model).
Fig. 9. Measured reflection (scale model).
target and measured values are 3.4% and 6.7%, respectively.
There is a very small influence on the antenna performances
with these small differences in the electrical properties values.
Fig. 8 illustrates the calculated impedances of the antenna in
the scale model, when the antenna is fed by coaxial feeding
and gap feeding. It is shown that the impedance bandwidth is
approximately the same with that of the original model (Fig. 5).
Fig. 9 shows the calculated and measured reflections of the
scale model. The results show that the resonant frequency of
the measurement corresponded approximately with that of the
numerical calculation.
Fig. 10 indicates radiation patterns in the - and -planes
by numerical calculation and the measurement. It is shown that
calculated radiation patterns are almost the same by using the
original model and the scale model. The maximum gain of the
measurement is 24.3 dBi, 21.8 dBi, in the -plane and
-plane, respectively. The radiation directivity and maximum
gain are approximately the same for the measurement and calcu-
lation from 0 to 90 . From these results, it is confirmed that the
898
Fig. 10. Radiation patterns in the xz - and yz -planes by numerical calculation
and measurement. (a) xz -plane (E ). (b) yz -plane (E ).
direction of the main lobes is toward the -direction (the direc-
tion to the outside of the body) for calculation and measurement.
As can be seen from the calculated results and the measured
results, the performances of the proposed antenna are con-
firmed. As an implanted antenna, it has wide bandwidth, small
volume, and a simple configuration. Moreover, with the use
of the H-shape slot, the effective length of the antenna can be
changed more easily than other slots. Therefore, by setting up
the H-shape slot, its volume is greatly reduced compared with
[12] (about 38.5% of the previous antenna).
VI. CONCLUSION
In this paper, the cavity slot antenna with the H-shape slot
is proposed for the implanted antenna. From the link budget,
the proposed implanted antenna gain should be more than
26.5 dBi. Numerical results show that the proposed an-
tenna resonates well at 2.45 GHz. The peak gain of simulation
is 22.3 dBi. In addition, the SAR values around the antenna
are evaluated in the simulation. The maximum 1-g average
SAR is W/kg. This value satisfies the standard
values of ANSI. Finally, in order to simplify the measurement,
the antenna is fabricated by using the scale model which is
2.5 times larger than the original dimensions of the antenna.
The antenna characteristics are measured in the constructed
2/3 muscle-equivalent phantom. The results show that the fab-
ricated antenna works at the 980-MHz band as expected. The
antenna characteristics for the calculation and the measurement
correspond. The results show that the proposed antenna has
promising use in an implant.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION, VOL. 57, NO. 4, APRIL 2009
In future work, the performances of the proposed antenna
should be analyzed when the distance from the surface of the
antenna to the surface of the skin has changed. Then, the method
of the measurement is also considered by using the original an-
tenna model.
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XIA et al.: PERFORMANCES OF AN IMPLANTED CAVITY SLOT
Wei Xia was born in Heilongjiang, China, in
September 1981. He received the B.E. degree in
electric information engineering from Wuhan Poly-
technic University, Wuhan, China, in 2004, and is
currently working pursuing the M.E. degree at Chiba
University, Chiba, Japan.
His main interests are the development and design
of the antenna for implantable devices.
Kazuyuki Saito (S’99–M’01) was born in Nagano,
Japan, in May 1973. He received the B.E., M.E., and
D.E. degrees in electronic engineering from Chiba
University, Chiba, Japan, in 1996, 1998, and 2001,
respectively.
Currently, he is an Assistant Professor with the
Research Center for Frontier Medical Engineering,
Chiba University. His main interest is in the area
of medical applications of microwaves, including
microwave hyperthermia.
Prof. Saito received the Institute of Electrical,
Information, and Communication Engineers (IEICE) Japan AP-S Freshman
Award; the Award for the Young Scientist of URSI General Assembly; the IEEE
AP-S Japan Chapter Young Engineer Award; the Young Researchers’ Award
of IEICE; and the International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation
(ISAP) Paper Award in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2004, and 2005, respectively. He is a
member of the IEICE Japan, the Institute of Image Information and Television
Engineers of Japan (ITE), and the Japanese Society for Thermal Medicine.
Masaharu Takahashi (M’95–SM’02) was born in
Chiba, Japan, on December, 1965. He received the
B.E. degree in electrical engineering from Tohoku
University, Miyagi, Japan, in 1989, and the M.E. and
D.E. degrees in electrical engineering from the Tokyo
Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan, in 1991 and
1994, respectively.
He was a Research Associate from 1994 to 1996;
an Assistant Professor from 1996 to 2000 with
Musashi Institute of Technology, Tokyo; and an
Associate Professor with the Tokyo University of
Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, from 2000 to 2004. Currently, he is an
Associate Professor at the Research Center for Frontier Medical Engineering,
Chiba University, Chiba. His main interests are electrically small antennas,
planar array antennas, and electromagnetic compatibility.
Prof. Takahashi received the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (IEEE
AP-S) Tokyo Chapter Young Engineer Award in 1994. He is a member of the
Institute of Electrical, Information, and Communication Engineers (IEICE),
Japan.
899
Koichi Ito (M’81–SM’02–F’05) received the B.S.
and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from
Chiba University, Chiba, Japan, in 1974 and 1976,
respectively, and the D.E. degree in electrical en-
gineering from the Tokyo Institute of Technology,
Tokyo, Japan, in 1985.
From 1976 to 1979, he was a Research Associate
at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. From 1979 to
1989, he was a Research Associate at Chiba Univer-
sity. From 1989 to 1997, he was an Associate Pro-
fessor in the Department of Electrical and Electronics
Engineering at Chiba University, and is currently a Professor at the Graduate
School of Engineering, Chiba University. He has been appointed as one of the
Deputy Vice-Presidents for Research, Chiba University, since 2005. In 1989,
1994, and 1998, he visited the University of Rennes I, Rennes, France, as an
Invited Professor. Since 2004, he has been appointed as an Adjunct Professor to
the Institute of Technology Bandung (ITB), Indonesia. His main research inter-
ests include the analysis and design of printed antennas and small antennas for
mobile communications; research on evaluation of the interaction between elec-
tromagnetic fields and the human body by use of numerical and experimental
phantoms; microwave antennas for medical applications, such as cancer treat-
ment; and antennas for body-centric wireless communications.
Dr. Ito is a Fellow of the Institute of Electronics, Information, and Commu-
nication Engineers (IEICE) of Japan, a member of the American Association
for the Advancement of Science, the Institute of Image Information and Televi-
sion Engineers of Japan (ITE), and the Japanese Society for Thermal Medicine
(formerly the Japanese Society of Hyperthermic Oncology). He served as Chair
of the Technical Group on Radio and Optical Transmissions, ITE, from 1997
to 2001 and Chair of the Technical Group on Human Phantoms for Electro-
magnetics, IEICE, from 1998 to 2006. He also served as Chair of the IEEE
AP-S Japan Chapter from 2001 to 2002 and TPC Co-Chair of the 2006 IEEE
International Workshop on Antenna Technology (iWAT2006). Currently, he is
General Chair of the iWAT2008, which was held in Chiba, Japan, in 2008 and
Vice-Chair of the 2008 International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation
(ISAP2008) held in Taiwan in 2008. He is an Associate Editor for the IEEE
TRANSACTIONS ON ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION and is a Distinguished Lec-
turer and an AdCom member for the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society
since 2007.