A smart suitcase with overmolded inkprinted dual-band antennas

Nowadays, the Internet of Things is continuously expanding, with more and more objects connected. The seamless integration of wireless communication systems into smart objects is possible thanks to ink-printed antennas. A smart suitcase is manufactured, where ink-printed antennas are overmolded into the plastic shell of the suitcase, during its production process. The result is a smart object where the antennas are fully integrated inside the material, including printed transmission lines, which interface to a small printed circuit board by means of a dedicated interposer board. The radiation patterns of the suitcase are measured into the anechoic chamber and its performance is analyzed.