Design and Optimization of Embroidered Antennas on Textile Using Silver Conductive Thread for Wearable Applications

This paper presents a systematic approach of high-frequency electrical properties of embroidered dipole-type antennas based on electro-textiles. Firstly, characterizations of conductive thread and silver ink on cotton fabric are completed by UTM (Universal testing machine) and sheet resistance measurement. Secondly, estimating and optimizing the embroidered dipole antenna suitable for implementing radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are proposed. The effect of bending and thread density on the performance of embroidered antennas is included. Thirdly, the proposed low-cost antenna structure requires the less conductive thread to decrease conductive thread and time consumption yet still achieve good enough performance compared with the conventional antenna. Finally, the comparison between silver thread and ink demonstrates that parasitic capacitance of conductive threads is much higher than metallic materials. However, the structure of silver conductive threads has more potential to significantly improve the conductor's efficiency than silver ink at the high frequencies.

Automated summary

This study systematically investigates the high-frequency electrical properties of embroidered dipole antennas based on electro-textiles. By characterizing conductive thread and silver ink, and optimizing the antenna design, a low-cost structure is proposed to achieve good performance while reducing material consumption and time. Additionally, the comparison between silver thread and ink shows that silver conductive threads have more potential to improve efficiency at high frequencies.