Microwave-enabled wearables: Underpinning technologies, integration platforms, and next-generation roadmap

Wagih, M. et al. (2023) Microwave-enabled wearables: Underpinning technologies, integration platforms, and next-generation roadmap. IEEE Journal of Microwaves, 3(1), pp. 193-226. (doi: 10.1109/JMW.2022.3223254)

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Abstract

This paper presents a holistic and authoritative review of the role of microwave technologies in enabling a new generation of wearable devices. A human-centric Internet of Things (IoT) covering remote healthcare, distributed sensing, and consumer electronics, calls for high-performance wearable devices integrated into clothing, which require interdisciplinary research efforts to emerge. Microwaves, the “interconnect” of wireless networks, can enable, rather than solely connect, the next generation of autonomous, sustainable, and wearable-friendly electronics. First, enabling technologies including wireless power transmission and RF energy harvesting, backscattering and passive communication, RFID, and electromagnetic sensing are reviewed. We then discuss the key integration platforms, covering smart fabrics and electronic textiles, additive manufacturing, printed electronics, natively-flexible and organic RF semiconductors, and fully-integrated CMOS systems, where opportunities for hybrid integration are highlighted. The emerging research trends, from mmWave 6G, RF sensing and imaging, to healthcare applications including neural implants, drug delivery, and safety upon exposure to microwaves are re-visited and discussed, presenting a future roadmap for interdisciplinary research towards sustainable and reliable next-generation wearables.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:This work was supported by the UK Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) and the Office of the Chief Science Adviser for National Security under the UK Intelligence Community Research Fellowship programme, by the RAEng chairs in emerging technologies scheme, and by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) under grant EP/P010164/1.
Keywords:Wearables, RF, microwave, roadmap, review, survey, RFID, backscattering, harmonic transponders, wireless power transfer, WPT, rectennas, inductive wireless charging, e-textiles, smart fabrics, wearable electronics, electronic textiles, wearable technology, microwave wearables, wearable antennas, on-body antennas, flexible electronics, printed electronics, flexible devices, additive manufacturing, body-centric communication, body-centric antennas, energy harvesting, RF energy harvesting, flexible semiconductors, wearable metamaterials, textile-based electronics, wireless sensor nodes, sensors, RF sensing.
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Wagih, Dr Mahmoud
Authors: Wagih, M., Balochi, L., Benassi, F., Carvalho, N. B., Chiao, J.-C., Correia, R., Costanzo, A., Cui, Y., Georgiadou, D., Gouveia, C., Grosinger, J., Ho, J. S., Hu, K., Komolafe, A., Lemey, S., Loss, C., Marrocco, G., Mitcheson, P., Palazzi, V., Panunzio, N., Paolini, G., Pinho, P., Preishuber-Pflügl, J., Qaragoez, Y., Rahmani, H., Rogier, H., Lopera, J. R., Roselli, L., Schreurs, D., Tentzeris, M., Tian, X., Torah, R., Torres, R., Van Torre, P., Vital, D., and Beeby, S.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Autonomous Systems and Connectivity
Journal Name:IEEE Journal of Microwaves
Publisher:IEEE
ISSN:2692-8388
ISSN (Online):2692-8388
Published Online:13 December 2022
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2022 The Authors
First Published:First published in IEEE Journal of Microwaves 3(1): 193-226
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons License
Data DOI:10.5258/SOTON/D2471

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