A modified square Koch curve fractal stent antenna design for medical implants

Abstract

A modified square Koch curve fractal antenna design working as a stent for partially or even fully biocompatible wireless implants is presented. The idea of using stent as a antenna, is to enable data transfer and wireless power transfer for charging integrated circuit device battery, to avoid a surgery for changing the battery after its period of use. This study provides a state-of-the-art overview that describes the key technological challenges and a design methodology for loop type modified Koch curve stent antenna. The simulation studies of our 730 MHz stent based antenna, implanted at a depth of 5.5 mm with in hand (Below elbow), showed a 20.58 dB power reduction as compare to free space interface stent antenna design. These results are evaluated by using a high-fidelity simulation model including components of Human Body model to provide the effects of tissues on stent antenna system. In order to validate the idea of using Koch fractal curves as a loop type stent antenna, the frequency domain characteristics of the proposed antenna system are presented.