Path Gain and SAR Analysis of On-Body Antenna

Wearable and implantable antennas have received significant interest and attention in recent years. One particular application of an antenna placed in close proximity to the human head involves using hearing instrument (HI) devices to improve binaural hearing. While laboratory measurements can be taken using a homogeneous SAM phantom, those results can be different from when a real human head is used. Testing with live subjects can be inconvenient, impractical, or impossible in certain circumstances, making simulation a more desirable tactic.

This presentation describes the simulation of one proposed antenna, designed to permit communication between devices in each ear. The design was simulated in the presence of a homogeneous SAM phantom and an anatomically correct, heterogeneous head model. Since the antenna exhibits different performance characteristics depending upon the head model used, a parameter sweep was conducted to determine the optimal configuration for each model. The simulation results illustrate the differences between the head models, suggesting a heterogeneous head model will yield more acceptable results and will improve the safety of the device when used by real human subjects.