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This paper presents the design of three types of dual band (2.5 & 5.2 GHz) wearable microstrip patch antennas. The first one is based on a conventional ground plane, whereas the other two antennas are based on two different types of two-dimensional electromagnetic band gap (EBG) structures. The design of these two different dual-band EBG structures using wearable substrates incorporates several factors in order to improve the performance of the proposed conventional ground plane (dual band) wearable antenna. The second EBG with plus-shaped slots is about 22.7% more compact in size relative to the designed mushroom-like EBG. Subsequently, we have demonstrated that the mushroom-like EBG and the EBG with plus-shaped slots improve the bandwidth by 5.2 MHz and 7.9 MHz at lower resonance frequencies and by 33.6 MHz and 16.7 MHz at higher resonance frequencies, respectively. Furthermore, improvements in gain of 4.33% and 16.5% at a frequency of 2.5 GHz and improvements in gain of 30.43% and 4.57% at 5.2 GHz have been achieved by using the mushroom-like EBG and EBG with plus-shaped slots, respectively. The operation of the conventional ground plane antenna is investigated under different bending conditions, such as wrapped around different rounded body parts. The proposed conventional ground plane antenna is placed over a three-layered (flat body phantom (chest)) and four-layered (rounded body parts) tissue models, and a thorough SAR analysis has been performed. It is concluded that the proposed antenna reduces SAR effects (<2 W/kg) on the human body, thereby making it useful for numerous critical wearable applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detuning owing to the complex in-body operating scenarios, environmental factors, and circuitry of the implantable medical devices (IMDs) are the primary concerns in integrating implantable antennas with their corresponding systems. The wide bandwidth achievement for avoiding the detuning challenges is constrained by device specifications and antenna miniaturization. This study presents an ultra-miniaturized antenna of only 10.66 mm3 volume with an ultra-wide bandwidth of 3040 MHz (0.79–3.83 GHz) for a leadless pacemaker (LP). The proposed antenna encompasses the five important bands: ISM (868–868.6 MHz, 902–928 MHz, and 2.4–2.48 GHz), Wireless Medical Telemetry Service (WMTS) (1395–1400 MHz), and the midfield (1.45–1.6 GHz) bands. To consider a practical operating scenario, the antenna was integrated with a battery and controlling electronics of an LP. In a homogeneous heart phantom (HHP), the proposed antenna showed a higher gain of −28.7, −20.02, and −16.7 dBi at 915 MHz, 1.4 GHz, and 2.45 GHz, respectively. The specific absorption rate (SAR) evaluation in the heart of a realistic model guaranteed patient safety by satisfying the IEEE C95.1-2005 and C95.1-1999 guidelines. The antenna is experimentally validated through measurements in minced pork. The strength of the received signal in the measurements confirms a stable biotelemetric link of the proposed ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna with an external monitoring system. The results obtained through simulations and in vitro testing emphasized that the proposed ultra-miniaturized and UWB antenna could operate more efficiently in the heart, thus establishing itself as a suitable candidate for the LPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flying Ad-hoc Network (FANET) is a new class of Mobile Ad-hoc Network in which the nodes move in three-dimensional (3-D) ways in the air simultaneously. These nodes are known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) that are operated live remotely or by the pre-defined mechanism which involves no human personnel. Due to the high mobility of nodes and dynamic topology, link stability is a research challenge in FANET. From this viewpoint, recent research has focused on link stability with the highest threshold value by maximizing Packet Delivery Ratio and minimizing End-to-End Delay. In this paper, a hybrid scheme named Delay and Link Stability Aware (DLSA) routing scheme has been proposed with the contrast of Distributed Priority Tree-based Routing and Link Stability Estimation-based Routing FANET's existing routing schemes. Unlike existing schemes, the proposed scheme possesses the features of collaborative data forwarding and link stability. The simulation results have shown the improved performance of the proposed DLSA routing protocol in contrast to the selected existing ones DPTR and LEPR in terms of E2ED, PDR, Network Lifetime, and Transmission Loss. The Average E2ED in milliseconds of DLSA was measured 0.457 while DPTR was 1.492 and LEPR was 1.006. Similarly, the Average PDR in %age of DLSA measured 3.106 while DPTR was 2.303 and LEPR was 0.682. The average Network Lifetime of DLSA measured 62.141 while DPTR was 23.026 and LEPR was 27.298. At finally, the Average Transmission Loss in dBm of DLSA measured 0.975 while DPTR was 1.053 and LEPR was 1.227. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a 9-elements hybrid MIMO (multiple input multiple output) antennas system is developed for 5G Smartphone communication.The designed MIMO system is composed of two different antenna parts i.e. the multi-band antenna element, and the eight-elements single-band antenna array. The multi-band antenna element encompasses the GSM 0.9/1.8/1.9 GHz (2G bands), UMTS 2.1 GHz (3G bands), LTE 2.3/2.5 GHz (4G bands), GPS, and WLAN 2.4/5 GHz, while the single-band antenna array covers the C-band (3400–3600 MHz) allocated for 5G cellular communcation. The model of the designed system has been manufactured and the simulation results are validated by conducting experiments with the fabricated prototype. High isolation levels have been observed between the elements. The designed antenna systems showed consistent radiation characteristics with a peak gain value of 5.5 dBi, and efficiency of as high as 90%. Furthermore, good MIMO performance parameters, such as the envelop correlation coefficient (ECC) less than 0.13, and 40 bps/Hz channel capacity have been observed over the desired bandwidth. Owing to the salient performance characteristics, the proposed antenna system could be used in modern mobile communications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this communication, a biotelemetry device for scalp implantation is proposed with an ultraminiaturized and simple-structured implantable antenna that exhibits dual-band characteristics in the industrial, scientific, and medical bands (915 MHz and 2.45 GHz). The proposed system incorporates two batteries and microelectronic components in a total volume of 434.72 mm3. The recommended antenna has a reduced volume of 9.8 mm3 (7 mm $\times7$ mm $\times0.2$ mm), which is the smallest antenna presented so far. In homogeneous and heterogeneous environments, the designed antenna system has peak gain values of −28.04 and −28.94 dBi, respectively, at 915 MHz, and −23.01 and −23.06 dBi, respectively, at 2.45 GHz. For validation, the prototype of the antenna and corresponding system are immersed in a 3-D head phantom (saline solution), and the measured results are found in close agreement with the simulation results. Additionally, the data communication range is analyzed through a link budget calculation at several data rates and an input power of −16 dBm. The radiation of the antenna system in the two principal planes (E and H) are similar to being omni-directional and directed away from the anatomical human body model as mandatory for the telemetry applications. Hence, the proposed antenna system can be employed in scalp implantation, especially for intracranial pressure monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of constrained Total Hip Replacements (THR) is controversial due to lack of definite indications and potentially high failure rates because of mechanical loosening or component failure. A review was performed to assess a departmental use of a single constrained acetabular component over a ten years period. Methods: Patient demographics, operative indications, complications and patient follow-up were recorded. Post-operative Oxford Hip Scores (OHS) were obtained via a combination of New Zealand Joint Registry interrogation and telephonic questioning. Cup version and inclination angles were obtained from standardised anteroposterior radiographs using established techniques. Results: Forty-four constrained components (in 39 patients) were implanted between 2005 and 2014. The mean age was 78 years with mean ASA 2.7 and mean follow-up 37.2 months (range 13–116). The mean post-operative OHS was 36 (SD 9.25), and there were 4 failures (3 dislocations and 1 peri-prosthetic fracture). The 3 dislocations had either cup ante version (AV) or inclination angles (IA) outside the data set interquartile range (AV 13–24°, IA 40–50°). The cup inclination was significantly lower (p<0.01) in patients with pain on sitting. At post-operative follow-up, 14/39 patients had died from unrelated causes, with only 1 patient surviving beyond 6 years. Conclusions: Constrained acetabular components offer a solution to hip instability in a difficult group of patients. This study has shown good medium-term outcomes of a single component type in a predominantly frail group of low demand patients. Despite constraint, correct cup placement (particularly inclination) remains important to prevent dislocation or poor reported outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a miniaturized novel-shape dual-band implantable antenna operating in the industrial, scientific, and medical bands (902–928 MHz and 2.4–2.4835 GHz) is developed for battery-powered implants. The Rogers ULTRALAM ($\varepsilon _{r} =2.9$ and tan $\delta =0.0025$) liquid crystalline polymer material with 0.1 mm thickness is used as both the substrate and superstrate. By employing the shorting strategy, a flower-shape radiating patch, and open-ended slots in the ground plane, the total volume of the proposed antenna is confined to $7 \times 7.2\times0.2$ mm3. In a homogeneous skin phantom, the presented antenna has a maximum gain of −28.44 and −25.65 dBi at 928 MHz and 2.45 GHz, respectively. The calculated maximum specific absorption rate values are in the safe limit and satisfy the IEEE C95.1-1999 and C95.1-2005 safety guidelines. The design, optimization, and analysis of the suggested antenna are performed using the finite difference time-domain- and finite-element method-based simulators. The results suggest that the flower-shape antenna exhibits fairly omnidirectional radiation patterns; therefore, it can be used for gastro applications and skin implantations. Through wireless communication link, we validated that at both frequencies (928 MHz and 2.45 GHz), 7 Kb/s and 78 Mb/s of data can be transmitted easily over more than 6 and 1.5 m, respectively. To verify the validity of the design and simulation results, measurements are performed by substituting the fabricated prototype in the American Society for Testing Materials and head phantoms containing saline solution. The proposed flower-shape antenna shows salient performance parameters compared with the recently proposed antennas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the design of a tri-band flower-shaped planar monopole antenna operating at three frequencies i.e. 1.576 (GPS), 2.668, and 3.636 GHz (Mobile WiMAX). The radiating element of the antenna is backed by a 1.6 mm thicker FR-4 substrate having a dielectric constant of 4.3. The substrate is backed by a truncated ground plane. The antenna is fed through a 50 Ω microstrip line. The flower shape of the radiating element is derived from the basic circular shape by introducing in it rounded slots of various radii. The upper part of the antenna is flower shaped while the lower part comprises a microstrip feed line and two branches, each having two “leaves” at the end. The leaves and branches contribute in the impedance matching of the lower (1.576 GHz) and middle (2.668 GHz) frequency bands. The antenna gives an acceptable simulated efficiency >70% in the three frequency bands. Suitable gains of 1.63, 2.59, and 3.23 dB are obtained at 1.576, 2.668, and 3.636 GHz, respectively. The antenna matched with a VSWR < 1.2 in the three frequency bands. The prototype of the antenna is fabricated and tested in the laboratory, and good agreement in simulated and measured results is achieved. The proposed design is a visually appealing and may find uses as an external antenna in GPS and WiMAX applications. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Soldering and erosion are two of the biggest serious problems faced in the die-casting industries. Cermet coatings utilized by high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) spray technology have been developed in an attempt to overcome these problems. MoB-based cermet feedstock powders (MoB/NiCr and MoB/CoCr) were deposited on SKD61 (AISI H-13) substrates used as a preferred die (mold) material. Microstructural and mechanical properties of the coatings have been characterized by scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, Romulus bond strength test, and Vickers microhardness test. The durability of these coatings on cylindrical specimens against soldering also has been investigated by immersing in molten aluminum alloy (ADC-12) for 25 h at 670 °C and subsequently, compared with that of NiCr and CoMoCr coatings. Both types of MoB-based cermet coatings have shown high soldering resistance as negligible intermetallic formation occurred during the immersion test. This result is attributed to the existence of multiple inert borides in the coatings. The coatings also showed excellent mechanical properties. MoB/NiCr, in particular, showed higher bond strength, hardness, and wear resistance than MoB/CoCr. This suggests that MoB/NiCr will show higher durability than MoB/CoCr, NiCr, and CoMoCr during high pressure die-casting of aluminum alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Despite several decades of research in document analysis, recognition of unconstrained handwritten documents is still considered a challenging task. Previous research in this area has shown that word recognizers perform adequately on constrained handwritten documents which typically use a restricted vocabulary (lexicon). But in the case of unconstrained handwritten documents, state-of-the-art word recognition accuracy is still below the acceptable limits. The objective of this research is to improve word recognition accuracy on unconstrained handwritten documents by applying a post-processing or OCR correction technique to the word recognition output. In this paper, we present two different methods for this purpose. First, we describe a lexicon reduction-based method by topic categorization of handwritten documents which is used to generate smaller topic-specific lexicons for improving the recognition accuracy. Second, we describe a method which uses topic-specific language models and a maximum-entropy based topic categorization model to refine the recognition output. We present the relative merits of each of these methods and report results on the publicly available IAM database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, antipodal Vivaldi antenna is designed for 5th generation (5G) mobile communication and Ku-band applications. The proposed designed has three layers. The upper layer consists of eight-element array of split-shaped leaf structures, which is fed by a 1-to-8 power divider network. Middle layer is a substrate made of Rogers 5880. The bottom layer consists of truncated ground and shorter mirror-image split leaf structures. The overall size of the designed antenna is confined significantly to 33.31 × 54.96 × 0.787 (volume in mm 3 ), which is equivalent to 2 λ o × 3.3 λ o × 0.05 λ o (λ o is free-space wavelength at 18 GHz). Proposed eight elements antenna is multi-band in nature covering Ku-bands (14.44–20.98 GHz), two millimeter wave (mmW) bands i.e., 24.34–29 GHz and 33–40 GHz, which are candidate frequency bands for 5G communications. The Ku-Band is suitable for radar applications. Proposed eight elements antenna is very efficient and has stable gain for 5G mobile communication and Ku-band applications. The simulation results are experimentally validated by testing the fabricated prototypes of the proposed design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]