Embroidered antenna future of wearable radio technology

摘要

Researchers at Nottingham Trent and Loughborough Universities have developed a prototype garment incorporating an embroidered antenna designed to improve wearable radio communications for search and rescue teams. Flexible, lightweight and water resistant, the antenna is applied direcdy onto clothing using a mass production process. Antennas are used to send or receive incoming or outgoing radio communications by electromagnetic waves. Traditional monopole antennas are ordinarily rod shaped and made of metal. Researchers from the Advanced Textiles Research Group at Nottingham Trent University's School of Art & Design have been able to fabricate and modify the antenna by altering conventional embroidery machinery. This machinery processes the non-traditional yarns, which incorporate the conductive threads.