Circularly Polarized mm-Wave Antenna Array for On-Body Glucose Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mm-wave antennas face challenges in miniaturization and maintaining fixed orientation due to human tissue activities and posture movements, limiting their effectiveness in on-body biomarker sensing applications.
Innovation Solution
Development of compact, miniaturized mm-wave antenna arrays with circular polarization and wide beamwidth, capable of correlating received base-band power levels with blood glucose variations in veins and arteries, using a transmit/receive system with optimized feeding networks and dielectric materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If mm-wave antennas are miniaturized for on-body wearability, then device size is reduced and portability is improved, but maintaining fixed orientation relative to external receiver becomes difficult due to human tissue activities and posture movements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs circular polarization instead of linear polarization, creating an asymmetric radiation pattern that rotates uniformly in all directions. This allows the antenna to maintain effective communication regardless of its orientation relative to the external receiver, solving the problem of signal instability caused by body movements while keeping the antenna miniaturized for on-body wearability.
2Reliability
If circular polarization and wide beamwidth characteristics are adopted to overcome orientation issues, then signal reception stability is improved, but antenna complexity and design difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the antenna into multiple radiating elements arranged in an array configuration. By segmenting the antenna structure and using element spacing of approximately λ/2, the system achieves wide beamwidth and circular polarization characteristics through constructive and destructive interference patterns, rather than requiring a single complex antenna element.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-element antenna to a two-dimensional array of multiple elements. This dimensional expansion allows the system to achieve circular polarization and wide beamwidth through the spatial arrangement and phase control of multiple radiating elements, simplifying the design compared to attempting to achieve these characteristics with a single complex element.
3Measurement precision
If antenna arrays are used for biomarker sensing, then sensing capability is improved, but feeding network design becomes one of the most challenging bottlenecks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs phase-shifting mechanisms in the feeding network that allow dynamic adjustment of the phase and amplitude of signals fed to each antenna element. This dynamic control enables the system to form directional beams and achieve circular polarization by electronically adjusting the feeding parameters, rather than requiring fixed physical structures, thereby improving biomarker sensing capability while managing feeding network complexity through electronic rather than mechanical means.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables continuous, wireless sensing of blood constituents like glucose with high sensitivity and accuracy, overcoming orientation and propagation issues, and providing reliable biomarker detection.
Implementation Method 1
antennas (including arrays) have been used for a wide variety of medical applications, most notably biomarker sensing, imaging and hyperthermia treatment of cancer
Implementation Method 2
The sensing system validates its ability to correlate received base-band power levels variations, rather than S-parameters, with the variations in blood glucose levels
Implementation Method 3
The adoption of circular polarization and wide beamwidth characteristics would be an excellent solution due to their inherent immunity to time-varying orientations between the transmitters and the receivers
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are compact sensor continuously and wirelessly senses blood constituents including a mm-wave newly designed sensor validates its ability to correlate received base-band power levels variations, rather than S-parameters, with the variations in blood glucose levels of serum [FBS] and in that of the jugular veins and carotid arteries for animals and humans.