The next generation of Antenna Structures Suited for Energy harvesting and signal Transmission in miniaturized chips for use in medical devices

The medical industry has seen a steady uptake of devices that capture physiological data in both automated and continuous data streams. Such devices can largely lower the monitoring burden and are valuable in a wide spectrum of health states making continuity of monitoring increasingly expected. Compounding this rise in continuous data is the growth of parameters that can be monitored non-invasively with high accuracy, many of which correspond to clinically relevant insights. Therefore, with more data that can be continuously, non-invasively and accurately monitored from patients’ skin comes the possibility of big data insights in healthcare, leading the way to better decisions and improved care. A critical challenge with the increase of wireless sensors on patients’ skin is power management, related to safety, disposal, resource availability and practical aspects. With increased efficiency of the electronic components that drive both sensing and data transmission, comes the possibility of wireless energy harvesting, which enables sensing medical devices to become battery-less. ONiO is a medical sensor company based in Norway designing and manufacturing medical sensor systems. Common to all sensors in our R&D pipeline is that they 1. measure one or more physical properties with high fidelity in a single ASIC, 2. operate without batteries and 3. wirelessly report data. These continuously measuring sensors will be integrated into skin worn patches, fitting the Needs of healthcare and consumer markets, while being disposable in household waste. ONiO needs to develop an integrated antenna for its sensor platform, by conducting research on far-field multiband RF energy harvesting. Such energy harvesting antenna is a critical building block for the ultra-low power solutions not requiring a battery that ONiO is developing in-house. In that regard, the SME Innovation Associate Programme fits perfectly into our plan of boosting R&D activities within antenna design.