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EARTHDATE: October 2, 2011

Official News page 6


REAL LIFE NEWS: CLOTHES HELP WITH PHONE CONNECTION

by Hazed

Think of an antenna and you probably see an image of a long bit of wire. Or maybe one of those stubby, inch-long antennas on old mobile phones. But these days, antennas are built into the casting of the gadget they serve, whether it's the radio in your car or the latest mobile phone.

This doesn't always work as well as it should. Remember the problems with apple's iPhone 4, which lost its signal when users gripped it the wrong way, because their skin caused a short-circuit in the aerial?

The military can't have that kind of unreliability when its soldiers are in the field so they still use long wires, draped around the body. Now researchers in the US have come up with antennas that can be sewn directly onto clothes, and the range is four times greater than conventional antenna worn on the body.

"Our primary goal is to improve communications reliability and the mobility of the soldiers," one of the researchers said, "But the same technology could work for police officers, firefighters, astronauts - anybody who needs to keep their hands free for important work."

The team from the Ohio State University have developed a prototype antenna which is embedded in plastic film, and then sewn directly onto fabric using an ordinary sewing machine. To ensure the signal remains strong no matter which way the wearer is facing, the scientists sew several antennas on - front, back and on both shoulders. These work together, along with an integrated control device, to sense body movement and switch to the optimal antenna.

While the technology would cost about $200 per person to implement right now, if it goes into mass production the price will come down - so it may become feasible for ordinary people to use it. Then imagine the plastic sheathing in lots of different colors and it could become a fashion item in its own right.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14630656


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