Wearable antenna assembly for electromagnetic head imaging
Inventors
ABBOSH, Amin • Alqadami, Abdulrahman S. M • Nguyen-Trong, Nghia • MOHAMMED, Beadaa • NGUYEN, Thanh Phong
Assignees
Publication Number
US-12186065-B2
Publication Date
2025-01-07
Expiration Date
2039-09-04
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Abstract
A wearable antenna assembly for tomographic brain imaging of a subject, the antenna assembly including: a resilient cap to be worn on the head of a subject whose brain is to be imaged; an array of antennas at least partially embedded in the cap at respective mutually spaced locations such that, when the cap is worn by the subject, the antennas are arranged around the subject's brain; wherein the cap has a multi-layered structure including a layer composed of graphite and aluminium oxide powders dispersed in PDMS to improve the matching of dielectric properties with those of the subject's head.
Core Innovation
The invention is a wearable antenna assembly designed for tomographic brain imaging of a subject. It includes a resilient cap worn on the head, embedding an array of antennas spaced around the subject's brain. The cap has a multi-layered structure containing a layer made of graphite and aluminium oxide powders dispersed in poly-di-methyl-siloxane (PDMS), intended to improve the matching of dielectric properties with those of the subject's head.
This invention addresses the problem of brain stroke detection and imaging where current imaging technologies are large, expensive, not portable, or inaccessible, especially in rural settings. Existing electromagnetic (EM) head imaging systems face limitations such as size, mechanical rigidity, poor compatibility with the human head, signal penetration issues, and antenna mismatches leading to inaccurate and low-resolution imaging results.
The invention overcomes these difficulties by developing a lightweight, flexible, and wearable antenna assembly based on flexible multi-layered polymer composite materials, including PDMS combined with graphite and aluminium oxide powders, to achieve dielectric property matching. The antenna array is embedded in a hat-like flexible cap, enhancing portability, wearability, and imaging performance. It also incorporates an arrangement of antennas with improved wideband, unidirectional, and multi-resonant characteristics, allowing better signal penetration and image accuracy.
Claims Coverage
The claims include one independent claim related to a wearable antenna assembly, one independent claim related to a method of determining antenna locations, and two independent claims related to methods of forming the wearable antenna assembly. The inventive features pertain to the antenna assembly structure, materials, antenna configurations, and methods of fabrication and spatial determination.
Wearable antenna assembly with multi-layered cap using graphite and aluminium oxide powders dispersed in PDMS
An antenna assembly comprising a resilient cap wearable on a subject's head, embedding an array of antennas arranged around the brain, where the cap includes a multi-layered structure with a layer composed of graphite and aluminium oxide powders dispersed in PDMS to improve dielectric property matching with the head.
Method of determining spatial locations and orientations of antennas using fiducial markers and 3D imaging
A method includes providing fiducial markers for antenna elements, using a 3D imaging camera to automatically identify the markers, determine spatial locations and orientations, and processing this along with data of the subject’s head surface to ascertain antenna orientations and distances relative to the head.
Method of forming a wearable antenna assembly with multi-layered structure including graphite and aluminium oxide dispersed in PDMS
Forming a resilient cap by embedding an array of antennas at spaced locations arranged around the brain, where the cap has a multi-layered structure that includes a layer of matching material composed of graphite and aluminium oxide powders dispersed in PDMS to improve dielectric matching with the head.
Method of fabricating antenna assembly involving layered PDMS and composite materials embedding transceiving elements and ground planes
Steps include forming a first PDMS layer, forming planar transceiving elements and ground planes arranged in spaced locations, forming over the transceiving elements and first PDMS layer a matching material layer of graphite and aluminium oxide powders dispersed in PDMS, arranging ground planes on that layer, and forming a second PDMS layer over ground planes, resulting in a resilient wearable cap embedding antennas.
The claims collectively describe a wearable antenna assembly with a specialized multi-layer PDMS-based composite structure embedding an antenna array, methods for spatially locating antennas relative to the head using 3D imaging and markers, and methods for fabricating the assembly incorporating the composite materials to improve dielectric matching and antenna performance.
Stated Advantages
Improves physical compatibility, portability, and performance of EM head imaging systems through flexible, lightweight, and wearable antenna assembly.
Enhances dielectric property matching between antenna assembly and human head, improving signal penetration and imaging accuracy.
Enables wideband, unidirectional antenna performance with multiple resonances, providing high signal-to-noise ratio and image resolution.
Facilitates fitting various head sizes and shapes via a stretchable, two-halved cap design.
Reduces size and weight enabling a portable and low-cost EM imaging system suitable for on-the-spot diagnosis.
Documented Applications
Used for tomographic brain imaging to detect abnormalities such as brain strokes, clots, and bleeding inside a subject's brain.
Intended as a portable, fast, and low-cost electromagnetic medical imaging system for rapid on-the-spot diagnosis.
Applicable in scenarios where conventional imaging technologies are inaccessible or impractical, including rural hospitals or emergency paramedic use.
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