A compact dual-band hybrid dielectric resonator antenna for blood glucose sensing and wireless communication

This paper proposes a compact dielectric resonator-based high gain dual-band hybrid antenna. The antenna is proposed to work in a dual ISM (industrial, scientific, and medical) band, i.e., at 2.40 - 2.48 GHz and 5.725 - 5.875 GHz. The designed antenna can work as a radiator in the lower band (2.37 - 2.49 GHz) and as a sensor in the upper band (5.34 - 6.00 GHz). The non-invasive blood glucose sensing application is chosen at a higher frequency band, and a lower band is chosen for wireless communication. From a single transmission feed line, both frequency bands are generated by the fundamental mode TM_10 of radiating slot and HEM_11 mode inside cylindrical DRA, respectively. The designed antenna is optimized and simulated to get the best possible results in terms of S-parameter, bandwidth, gain, radiation pattern, efficiency in a lower band, and sensitivity toward blood permittivity in a higher band. This work performs regression analysis and fasting experiments for blood glucose sensing. The link budget analysis is also done at different data rates for wireless communication. The Specific absorption rate (SAR) value is calculated in finger tissue to ensure safety. The simulated and measured results of the designed antenna suggest that it can be used for non-invasive blood glucose sensing and wireless communication applications. To the author’s knowledge, no antenna was reported prior for radiating as well as sensing applications.