Deployment of a wearable metasurface with a segmented ground plane

Abstract

The technology described herein is directed towards designing and deploying a wearable device that includes a passive metasurface of unit cells with a segmented ground plane of electrically separated segments. When the wearable device is worn, e.g., as a ring or wristband that contacts the wearer's skin, the wearer's skin conductivity electrically connects the separated segments to provide a ground plane. With a complete ground plane, the metasurface's unit cells resonate when exposed to a transmitted signal and reflect a distinct signature corresponding to a physical radiation pattern of signals reflected by the activated metasurface. When not worn, the metasurface is deactivated because of the electrically disconnected ground plane segments. Discontinuity parameters of size, position, and quantity of ground discontinuities are iteratively varied during modeling of a metasurface to determine the design with the largest difference in performance characteristics for when the device is worn versus not worn.