On the Development of Embroidered Reconfigurable Dipole Antennas: A Textile Approach to Mechanical Reconfiguration

Abstract

A design framework for developing full-textile reconfigurable dipole antennas is proposed for wearable applications. To this end, a precise embroidery process using conductive threads is applied to properly manage the antenna structure. Further, mechanical reconfiguration to enhance antenna operation by using solely clothing components is outlined. As a proof-of-concept, we present a full-textile embroidered dipole antenna with mechanical frequency reconfiguration. Specifically, reconfiguration is achieved by folding the dipole arms through a triangular formation. Conductive Velcro strips are employed to guide the necessary dipole arrangement. As shown, the proposed design methodology enables frequency tunability that ranges from 780 to 1330 MHz for UHF and L bands, with satisfactory radiation performance. The measured and simulated results are in good agreement, in terms of achieving similar frequency reconfiguration concept, as predicted by the electromagnetic simulation models.

1. Introduction

Diverse technological fields, including healthcare and personal entertainment, military systems, aerospace and rescue operations aim at improving the quality of the provided services. On the basis of reinforcing application effectiveness via wirelessly linked personal devices, antennas can be integrated into textiles and clothing [1,2]. Still, typical materials applied to fabricate antennas can be impractical and, thus, need to be replaced with textile materials due to their inherent lightweight and flexible properties [3]. Conductive threads (E-threads) used in automated embroidery fabrication processes have been proven to meet these material requirements and, in turn, can be satisfactorily implemented as wearable antennas. The use of E-threads can provide durability and washability for long term use, with acceptable performance [4] and easy integration into clothes [5]. Due to their high flexibility, embroidered wearable antennas can withstand the possible bending and stretching that occurs due to the nature of the human body surface [6,7,8].

Furthermore, upon the enhancement of wearable systems, reconfigurable antennas with tunable performance can be promoted to enable multi-functionality in wireless platforms. Antenna reconfiguration can be realized in terms of operating frequency, radiation pattern and polarization, allowing operation adjustment depending on system requirements [9,10]. Electronic switches (e.g., PIN diodes [11] and varactors [12]) or mechanical means (e.g., mechanical actuators [13,14], or magnetic actuators on embroidered patterns [15]) can be typically used to enable the necessary antenna reconfiguration. Still, the design of full-textile antennas integrated into clothing and textiles with tunable properties can create great challenges.

Various textile antennas integrating embroidery processes have been suggested in the literature. In [16], a planar inverted-F antenna made of conductive textiles and embroidered patterns was shown. In [17], a dipole that uses novel copper yarns was proposed for operation in the frequency range of 1800–2000 MHz. In [18], a multi-resonant folded dipole for FM reception was also presented. In [19], embroidered dipole-like RFID antennas were developed. In [20], a tightly coupled dipole array made of E-threads was proposed, achieving a 30:1 bandwidth. In [21], a corrugated embroidered crossed dipole for medical use (smart bandage—RFID) was successfully fabricated and was proposed to operate at 915 MHz, revealing the potential of embroidery in achieving the demanding corrugations of the dipole antenna. In [22], an embroidered accordion-based dipole antenna that is tunable across the 760–1015 MHz frequency range was presented. It is evident that there is a significant lack of embroidered antenna designs that demonstrate reconfigurable properties. In mechanical reconfiguration, antenna EM properties can be physically manipulated. Mechanical means are used to change the antenna structure, orientation, and shape and, in turn, alter its performance. Thus, the use of electrical switching components and circuits integrated into the antenna that increase complexity is avoided. Still, it seems substantial to redefine mechanical reconfiguration within the framework of fully textile wearable wireless applications. Commercially available clothing components such as Snap-on buttons can act as mechanical fixtures to enable antenna geometry configurations such as detachability, foldability, and rotation [23]. Furthermore, clothing items can contribute to reconfigurability as integrated antenna elements. Specifically, we can exploit the clothing component’s physical state as passive switches. The ‘open’/‘close’ state of a zip fastener [24], the ‘on’/‘off’ state of a Velcro tape [25], and the ‘engaged’/‘disengaged’ state of a Snap-on button [26] can provide the desired reconfigurability. The vital concept is that via simple manual operations of user-friendly clothing components, reconfiguration can be induced [27]. Passive reconfigurable antennas are of compact size, flexible and are easily integrated into clothes and textiles.

In this paper, the target is to develop a fully textile reconfigurable antenna of satisfactory electromagnetic (EM) performance. The antenna should be made of conductive and non-conductive textile and clothing items combined with embroidery techniques. With this purpose, the objective of this paper is to present the design of an embroidered frequency-reconfigurable dipole antenna for wearable applications. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt to build an embroidered reconfigurable antenna that applies solely textile and clothing components. A careful embroidery process is, initially, applied to fully exploit the available E-threads and, in turn, to obtain a sufficiently functional antenna. Subsequently, we outline the textile approach of mechanical reconfiguration. Based on the textile design considerations, the antenna starts from a planar dipole. Then, the dipole arms are suitably arranged to reshape the straight dipole configuration. Conductive Velcro strips are used to enable structural modification. The antenna is experimentally tested to verify the accuracy of our approach. The design details and results, including resonance frequency, radiation, and on-body performance, are presented. The main novelty of our work lies in the use of conductive Velcro as a means of mechanical frequency reconfiguration of an embroidered dipole antenna. The Velcro is embedded on the conductive embroidered pattern by sewing. The final prototype antenna is a state-of-the-art advancement in textile technology as it is fully textile, while also incorporating the user-friendly clothing component, Velcro.

More specifically, a brief overview of the sections of the paper is as follows. In Section 2, the embroidery conductive yarns design considerations are described. Firstly, the e-thread and embroidery pattern are characterized in terms of effective conductivity. Then, the e-thread and embroidery pattern combination which yielded the best performance is selected for implementing the reconfigurable dipole antenna presented in Section 3. The mechanical reconfiguration aspects in textile antennas are also described to provide essential information on the design of the embroidered reconfigurable dipole antenna. In Section 3, the frequency-reconfigurable textile dipole antenna is described by introducing the simulated model for all reconfigured states. Also, the embroidered prototypes representing the designed states schematics are presented and thoroughly described. In Section 4, the reconfigurable dipole antenna resonance performance is presented via S₁₁ simulations and measurements for all four reconfigured states. Additionally, S₁₁ repeatability measurements, which are critical for mechanical reconfigurable textile antennas, are reported together with a statistical analysis. In Section 5, the reconfigurable dipole antenna radiation performance is described via radiation patterns analysis. Moreover, comparisons between simulations and measurements for all four states are presented. The gain, directivity and radiation efficiency values are presented as well. In Section 6, the on-body reconfigurable dipole antenna performance is presented in terms of S₁₁, SAR and far-field. These are determined via simulations and by using an anthropomorphic torso phantom with the antenna mounted in parallel on the arm at an optimized distance and employing resonance effect analysis. In Section 7, the comparison of our work with the relevant literature is presented. Finally, in Section 8 conclusions are drawn.

2. Embroidered Reconfigurable Design Considerations

Prior to designing the embroidered antenna, a thorough exploration of the conductive yarn, stitch density and pattern is crucial. In the context of wearable antennas, this evaluation is necessary to identify the optimal combination that balances antenna performance and wearability. Additional factors such as fabrication cost, complexity and production time, as well as various other considerations, may also be significant, depending on the specific application.

The E-thread used in the embroidery fabrication process is Shieldex Silver Plated Nylon 66 Yarn 117/17 dtex 2-ply (117 dtex/17 filaments) of linear resistance <30 Ω/cm [28]. Compared to lower-resistance E-threads, such as Elitex Art.235/f34_PA/Ag (235 dtex/34 filaments) with a linear resistance of ~20 Ω/m [29], the Shieldex yarn was chosen due to its favorable mechanical properties for embroiderability—specifically, its high flexibility and smooth surface, despite its higher linear resistance. Moreover, the lower linear resistance of the Elitex yarn is associated with thicker metallization, which leads to reduced stretchability and increased friction during the embroidery process. Consequently, the highly conductive threads are prone to snapping, fraying, or having their metallization damaged, resulting in a rough conductive surface. In the context of mechanically reconfigurable, foldable antennas, optimal mechanical properties are crucial to ensure that the material can withstand folding without damage. Therefore, considering the trade-off between embroiderability/wearability and high conductivity, the Shieldex yarn was selected.

We expect that the high resistance exhibited by the selected yarn could lead to low EM performance of the embroidered patterns. To overcome such a critical issue, it is vital to examine the optimal stitching process of the available conductive yarns. This was realized by testing various 50 Ohm-microstrip transmission lines (TLs). The automated embroidery machine Brother PR670E (Brother Sewing Machines Europe GmbH, Bad Vilbel, Germany) was used to form TLs of 100 mm length and of 6 mm width on a 0.7 mm thick denim base fabric (Figure 1). Then, the TLs’ RF performance was examined by employing the set-up shown in Figure 2a (inset).

In order to avoid low electromagnetic performance of the embroidered patterns, the process described below was followed. We employed an embroidery process with single-layer (SL) and double-layer (DL) stitching of 1 to 7 threads/mm densities. More specifically, the DL stitching pattern for a specific density consists of the same embroidered pattern stitched twice (conductive pattern embroidered over conductive pattern). For brevity, specific results are presented. The TLs’ performance was evaluated by measuring the transmission coefficient S₂₁ response. For comparison, a copper TL was also fabricated. The measured magnitude of the S₂₁ data are shown in Figure 2a. Regarding the SL stitching, a density of 4 threads/mm (SL_d4) was found to be optimal and is presented in the analysis. To further optimize the TLs’ response, DL stitching was employed with stitching densities of 2 threads/mm (DL_d2) and 4 threads/mm (DL_d4). It was found that the DL process provides better performance and is closer to the copper case than the SL. This can be attributed to reduced surface discontinuities in the embroidered patterns achieved by the double-layer process.

In Figure 2b, the measured S₂₁ phases are shown for the TLs under testing. Observing the linear phase changes between 1 and 2 GHz, an additional phase delay is induced into the embroidered TLs compared to copper, owing to the lockstitch technique used to embroider the E-threads on the base fabric [16]. Further, the phase differences among the TLs are due to the varied stitching densities, which can lead to different total lengths of used thread. These factors can cause extensions to the conductive length of the embroidered patterns’ TLs compared with the copper tape TL. Therefore, the effective electrical size of an embroidered antenna can be considerably affected.

In

Table 1. Transmission coefficient relative phase (Δφ), electric length extension (Δl), thread usage and effective conductivity (σ_eff) of TLs at 1.2 GHz.

TL	Δφ [deg]	Δl [mm]	Thread Usage [m]	σeff [×103 S/m]
SL_d4	22.46	4.32	4.18	20
DL_d2	27.42	5.23	4.24	36
DL_d4	45.07	8.63	7.46	40

, the phase differences (Δφ) and length extension (Δl) of the embroidered TLs relative to those for copper case are reported for frequency 1.2 GHz, which is the high limit used in the dipole antenna presented in the next section. The corresponding Δφ and Δl for the frequencies below 1.2 GHz were similar for all the examined embroidered patterns. The DL_d4 pattern had a greater length extension with increased thread usage compared to SL_d4 and DL_d2. Here, it should be noted that an increase in thread usage can lead to an increase in the cost of the embroidery fabrication, a factor that should be considered. In terms of the effective conductivity (σ_eff [30]), the DL_d2 and DL_d4 cases show similar values of 36 × 10³ and 40 × 10³ S/m, respectively. More specifically, the effective conductivity refers to the conductivity value that a conventional transmission line exhibiting a transmission coefficient (S₂₁ [dB]) would have, providing that the same base fabric and substrate were used. It was thus calculated through EM simulations in HFSS and compared with the corresponding measured S₂₁ data.

Based on the TL analysis, it was found that the double-layer process with a two threads/mm stitch density represents the best combination of thread usage and conductivity. Thus, the DL_d2 case was found to be a suitable candidate to apply within the embroidered antenna design process.

3. A Velcro-Based Reconfigurable Dipole Antenna

To implement our design considerations, a wearable full-textile frequency-reconfigurable antenna is proposed. We designed a planar half-wavelength dipole antenna aiming at structural simplicity, as shown in Figure 3. A 0.7 mm thick denim fabric material (relative permittivity ε_r of 1.96 and loss tangent tanδ of 0.077) was used as the supporting substrate. The antenna has total length of 160 mm and width of 10 mm. The gap between the dipole arms is 1.25 mm to facilitate the feed connection.

Frequency reconfiguration is achieved by particular folding patterns of the dipole arms. The antenna performance is physically adapted via shape reconfiguration. As shown in Figure 3, the applied folding scheme follows a triangular formation, creating successive reconfiguration states, denoted as States I, II, III and IV. State I corresponds to the initial flat configuration. Then, the first arm folding takes place and State II occurs. The second and third folding lead to States III and IV, respectively. In each folding case, the straight dipole length reduces and the folded trace increases, accordingly. It is expected that as the dipole arms are strongly folded, the effective antenna electrical length decreases and, in turn, the resonance frequency can increase.

Then, a prototype of the dipole antenna was fabricated (Figure 4a) and experimentally tested. The use of conductive yarn embroidery on conventional fabrics is widely recognized for its advantages in creating wearable antennas as it merges the comfort of everyday clothing with satisfactory antenna performance. Additionally, it offers a simple approach for fabricating flexible (i.e., bendable) antennas, thereby facilitating the development of mechanically reconfigurable antennas [4]. The prototype applies a DL_d2 embroidery pattern following the above embroidery analysis. Across the bending parts, single-layer stitching was selected to facilitate shape reconfiguration [22]. Further, to ensure smooth transition at the interface of the antenna input–SMA connector, conductive textile segments (Shieldit Super Fabric [31]) were added. With regards to the applied reconfiguration mechanism, conductive Velcro strips were sewed onto the embroidered pattern using the available E-threads. A Velcro “loop” strip was placed at each dipole open-end, while three “hook” parts were placed at each dipole arm at determined locations to enable triangular folding. In Figure 4b, the prototype in State III is back-supported by non-conductive Velcro, demonstrating a practical way to integrate the antenna into clothing and textiles. It should be noted that it was not feasible to fabricate a copper antenna equivalent since the applied triangular formation leads to copper tape cracking across the folding segments.

4. Antenna Resonance Performance

Figure 5 shows the simulated and measured reflection coefficient |S₁₁| response of the reconfigurable dipole antenna under different folding states. In simulations, a copper dipole equivalent is designed. Based on the measured results, the antenna presents resonance frequencies at about 776, 890, 1050, and 1330 MHz for folding States I, II, III and IV, respectively. Due to the electrical length extension induced by the embroidery process, discrepancies between the simulated (red line) and measured results (black dashed line) are observed. To overcome such issues due to the embroidery process, the dipole was re-designed by considering an approximately 5 mm length extension (Table 1).

The results show improved agreement between the simulations (simulation_Δl, black solid line) and measurements. States I, III and IV are very close to the simulation_Δl results. State II is slightly downshifted when compared with simulation_Δl, but it can be considered acceptable as the bandwidth of the measured State II includes the predicted (simulation_Δl) resonance frequency and covers most of its bandwidth. Measurements were also conducted while back-supporting the antenna with non-conductive Velcro without considerably affecting the resonance frequencies (Figure 5, measurement_V, grey dashed line). The measured −10 dB impedance bandwidth was 126, 164, 231, 350 MHz for folding states I, II, III and IV, respectively. In Figure 5, the S₁₁ results represent the folded states in which the bending and the exact dipole length were controlled by using rubber bands and by accurately measuring the bending lengths. The mechanical reconfiguration capabilities of the embroidered dipole antenna slightly degrade the S₁₁ and bandwidth compared to a copper antenna (ideal-simulated). As suggested in [18], textile mechanical reconfigurable structures should be examined in terms of repeatability, as a real-life user will not accurately fold each state. Ten cycles of serial folding were applied for all the states. The statistical results of the resonant frequency, S₁₁ magnitude and bandwidth are calculated in terms of mean values (m) and standard deviations (σ) (

Table 2. S₁₁ statistical analysis of 10 cycles of repeatable measurements for the embroidered dipole reconfigurable textile antenna (m: mean value, σ: standard deviation).

State	fc (MHz)		S11 (dB)		BW (MHz)
	m	σ	m	σ	m	σ
I	774.36	5.74	−14.88	1.81	130.42	5.69
II	882.91	11.90	−16.19	1.83	173.64	5.96
III	1024.50	9.25	−17.25	1.77	204.47	17.94
IV	1295.75	44.31	−19.65	5.79	411.01	62.04

). The achieved mean values of resonant frequencies are close to those presented in Figure 5, with σ values between 5.74 MHz and 44.31 MHz for all states. In terms of S₁₁ magnitude, it yields acceptable values of σ (around 2 dB), except for State IV, in which it yields 5.79 dB. Still, S₁₁ remains below −10 dB and well-matched. Regarding bandwidth, it yields similar mean values compared with Figure 5, with σ values between 5.69 MHz and 62.04 MHz (State IV). Generally, the prototype performance is highly repeatable for States I–III and achieves good repeatability for State IV, which is the more complex structure.

The antenna presents a frequency range of about 500 MHz, which is twice as large as that achieved in [22]. Both dipoles present a flat structure of similar physical length. Further, in [22] four Styrofoam fixtures were built to support the reconfiguration. Here, the conductive Velcro strips enable the development of a unique reconfigurable antenna module through a triangular formation. This conductive arrangement increases the self-inductance at the antenna input, tuning out the capacitive behavior associated with an unfolded straight dipole of the same physical planar length. In State III, this can lead to a 13% size reduction, leading to more compact structures. The concept and achieved frequency reconfiguration of the realized prototype antenna is graphically represented in Figure 6, where the VSWR for all four states is shown. The graphs represent the results of measurement_V (non-conductive Velcro back supporting the antenna).

5. Antenna Radiation Performance

The simulations via Ansys-HFSS (2023 R1) provide full information for the 3D radiation performance of the model of the antenna and values of the gain, directivity and radiation efficiency (e_rad). The fabricated prototype was measured inside an anechoic chamber (far-field test site). The embroidered dipole mounted on a roll over the azimuth positioner can be seen in Figure 7. The antenna was scanned in order to obtain the 3D pattern, with measurements taken at 10 deg intervals around the roll axis and at 5 deg intervals around the azimuth axis. The reference antenna that was used for the measurements is a log-periodic antenna with known gain and it was placed at approximately 4.6 m distance from the measured antenna. Using the 3D S-parameter measurements, the directivity and gain were calculated. Lastly, based on these calculations, the radiation efficiency of the antenna was determined.

The free space simulated and measured radiation patterns of the dipole antenna in E- and H-planes are presented in Figure 8 under the different folding states. An omnidirectional radiation pattern is achieved for all cases. The differences in terms of shape of the radiation patterns between measurements and simulations for E- and H-planes for all states are small. The differences can be due to surface inaccuracies of the fabricated embroidered prototype (produced by the folding parts and nature of the threads) and possible measurement error. The simulations of the copper dipole are ideal. The differences can be clearly seen in Figure 9, where the respective linear polar radiation patterns are shown. The reduced gain of measurements compared with simulations is described below. The free space measured peak gain values for States I–IV were −0.29 dBi, 0.12 dBi, −0.41 dBi and −0.08 dBi, respectively (

Table 3. Measured directivity, peak gain and radiation efficiency of the proposed embroidered dipole reconfigurable antenna in free space.

	Measured (Embroidered)				Simulated (Copper)
State	Frequency (MHz)	Directivity (dBi)	Gain (dBi)	erad (%)	Frequency (MHz)	Directivity (dBi)	Gain (dBi)	erad (%)
I	774	2.71	−0.29	49.3	796	2.45	2.41	99.2
II	883	3.43	0.12	46.6	945	2.38	2.33	98.8
III	1025	3.45	−0.41	41.1	1069	2.26	2.21	98.9
IV	1296	3.04	−0.08	48.7	1300	2.12	2.08	99.1

). The radiation efficiencies were measured as well (Table 3). The measured gain was decreased compared to the simulated ideal level, with values of 2.41 dBi, 2.33 dBi, 2.21 dBi and 2.08 dBi for each state, respectively. Thus, the efficiency was reduced accordingly. This is due to the reduced σ_eff of the embroidered patterns compared to the simulated copper case. Furthermore, the use of conductive Velcro yielded a surface resistivity of around 1.3 Ohms/square, which is relatively high and adds more Ohmic losses. This factor, in addition to the reduced σ_eff of the embroidered pattern, yields the reduced gain and radiation efficiency. However, the values of gain and radiation efficiency are still at acceptable levels.

6. On-Body Antenna Performance

The on-body antenna operation was also examined to address potential performance issues. All antenna reconfiguration states were investigated and achieved similar responses. Here, we present the case of the antenna under State II that resonates at 945 MHz. A homogeneous human tissue model was used. The tissue properties correspond to an equivalent 2/3-muscle tissue (permittivity ε_r = 36.5 and conductivity σ = 0.65 S/m [32]). To emulate realistic wearing conditions, the antenna was placed in parallel to the arm at various distances from the phantom. The simulated S₁₁ response is shown in Figure 10a. Frequency detuning was observed when the distance was 5 mm due to the surrounding dielectric loading; for distances > 10 mm, the antenna retained its functionality.

The peak gain was 0.35 dBi at 945 MHz (15 mm), showing a considerable reduction (around 2 dB) compared to the free space. A similar reduction could be expected in terms of gain, based on the measured gain, when the antenna is placed on a real human body. The radiation patterns can be seen in Figure 11. The cross-polarization level increases at the elevation plane (E-Plane), while in the azimuthal plane, the omnidirectionality degrades due to the presence of the phantom. Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) analysis was also conducted to assess the EM power absorbed by the tissue model for 1 W input power. The simulated SAR distribution for 15 mm distance is shown in Figure 10b. The peak 1 g average value is 7.25 W/kg. This implies that IEEE standards limiting SAR-1g < 1.6 W/kg are violated [33]. To comply with SAR restrictions, the input power should be less than 220 mW. It must be noted here that similar performance was observed for all other states (I, III, IV).

7. Comparison with Previous Research Work

As presented in the literature, there are various works employing embroidered and sewed dipoles and various textile antennas with mechanical reconfiguration characteristics. The comparison of embroidered and sewed dipole antennas with our work is depicted in

Table 4. Comparison of our work with other reported studies on embroidered and sewed dipole antennas.

Ref.	Frequency Range (MHz)	Length (mm) Width (mm) Height (mm)	States of Reconfiguration	Conductive Threads	Means of Reconfiguration	Gain (dBi)	erad (%)	Radiation Diagram
[17]	1800–2000	Various Antennas 54–57 3.12–4.30 N/A	0	Copper Wire Amberstrand	None	3.47 to 4.83	65.6–78.1	Omni for all prototypes
[18]	87.5–108	1440 100 N/A	0	MCEY	None	−6.12 to 2.82	N/A	Omni
[19]	800–1000	130 14 0.45	0	Shieldex	None	−6 to −4	N/A	Omni
[20]	60–2000	1400 55 N/A	0	Elektrisola (7 filaments)	None	−16 to 6	N/A	Various (Omni Multilobe)
[21]	836–950	N/A	0	Elektrisola (7 filaments)	None	N/A	N/A	Symmetric
[22]	760–1015	165 10 N/A	4	Elektrisola (7 filaments)	Different foam for each states	−2	N/A	Omni at all states
Our work	774–1295	161.25 10 1	4	Shieldex	Embedded conductive velcro	−0.41 to 0.12	41.1–49.3	Omni at all states

N/A: Non-available.

. The antennas presented in [17,18,19,20,21] are not reconfigurable. However, they are possible candidates for becoming reconfigurable. Therefore, and in terms of reconfiguration properties, the only research study that our work can be directly compared to is [22]. The proposed antenna in [22] is an origami antenna. Although origami antennas bear a great similarity to mechanical reconfiguration, it does not offer a complete and practical solution. The comparison of our work with the antenna in [22] is depicted in Table 4. Our work covers a larger frequency range and achieves higher gain. The proposed reconfigurable dipole antenna is fully implemented for use by employing conductive Velcro and does not achieve each state with removable non-practical foams.

8. Conclusions

In this paper, a fully textile frequency-reconfigurable dipole antenna was designed and experimentally tested for wearable applications. Initially, a careful embroidery fabrication process using conductive threads (Shieldex) was followed to build the antenna. Both the magnitude and the phase of the transmission performance of the embroidered TLs were considered to select the optimal stitching parameters. Further, a textile approach to mechanical reconfiguration was outlined in terms of clothing components. Upon these considerations, conductive Velcro strips were used to reshape the initial flat embroidered dipole structure into a triangular formation to enable the frequency reconfiguration. The impedance matching of the dipole antenna was measured and compared with simulations, and acceptable agreement was shown in terms of achieved frequencies. A frequency range from 780 to 1330 MHz was achieved by suitable folding of the dipole arms. Also, the prototyped antenna was examined in terms of repeatability of the impedance matching, showing very good repeatability for States I–III and acceptable repeatability for State IV. Also, the antenna was measured in a 3D far-field anechoic chamber free space conditions and the gain and efficiency for all states was calculated. The achieved gain for all states was around 0 dBi. Finally, the antenna was simulated for on-body performance (S₁₁, far-field and SAR) using a numerical torso phantom with the antenna mounted on the arm at 15 mm distance (found by parametric analysis). The antenna gain was reduced by around 2 dB when mounted on the body, and the radiation characteristics lost omnidirectionality at one plane, while the yield increased the cross-polar values. Finally, the SAR was calculated for 1 W accepted power and found that to be within the acceptable limits. The accepted power must be reduced to 220 mW for all states. Generally, the antenna demonstrated satisfactory radiation and on-body performance and could be an appropriate candidate for on-body and short-range off-body communications with low gain requirements. The proposed antenna is a good candidate for communication applications within the UHF and L bands, which require change, by will, of operating frequency.