CONICAL ORIGAMI RECONFIGURABLE ANTENNA USING

LABVIEW
V.Arun1 K.J. Jegadish Kumar2 L.R. Karl Marx3 and Adline F. Anila4
1,4
Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Anna University Regional Campus Madurai, Madurai, 625019, India
2
Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, SSN College of Engineering, Kalavakkam, 603110, India
3
Technology Reviewer, Canny Technology Solutions, Texas, United States of America.
Email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Abstract— In this paper, a cone-shaped origami antenna is designed that can alter its shape and operate at multiple
frequencies. A novel method of wrapping the cone structure and interfacing a stepper motor is done to achieve
reconfigurability. This proposed antenna can be applied in space wireless and drone communication systems. In the design,
the substrate is furnished with paper material and a flexible copper strip that is stretched around the cone-shaped paper
substrate. Significant advantages of this design are low cost, lightweight, and high gain of 8dB. Also, a good return loss of up to
-34dB and VSWR in the range of 1 to 1.5 has been achieved in the tested operating frequency bands. It is observed that the
efficiency of this proposed antenna is 10% better compared to various related works
surveyed.
Keywords—Reconfigurable antenna, origami antenna, Stepper motor, mechanical reconfigurable antenna, fold and unfolded,
paper antenna, LabVIEW

I. INTRODUCTION
The growth of wireless devices is increasing in the global market since the 1990s. Wide varieties of an antenna
are designed to address various applications. However, the paper-based light-weighted antenna is explored as it claims
simplicity and high performance. The name ORIGAMI is derived from the Japanese language where 'ORI' means folding
and 'KAMI' means paper. Reconfigurability of the antenna is the added advantage that is achieved by either manual
operation or motor operation. In [1] origami antenna is designed based on foldable frequency selective surface. This type
is made up of intermittent conductive elements on a dielectric plane sheet. Reconfigurability is attained through the
mechanical shift of folding and unfolding the flat sheet and attains to a 19% variation in the operating frequency. In [2],
using semiconductor switches reconfigurability of the antenna is achieved by connecting and disconnecting the multiple
radiating elements in the radiating structure. In [3], a foldable paper cube is fabricated with a monopole microstrip fed
line to switch between two bands of frequency by folding and unfolding the cube. In [4], the simulation model of a
reconfigurable spherical helical origami antenna is designed to access radio stations and wireless television. The helical
spiral model is stripped with multiple microstrip lines around it. Twisting of the paper model attains the reconfiguration.
[5] depicts an accordion-shaped origami antenna, reconfigurability is established by expanding and collapsing the
antenna height. This antenna is designed to resonate in 1.4GHz at collapsed mode also the 1.3GHz and 650MHz
frequency bands at expansion mode. A Kresling conical pattern origami antenna with a bistable spiral structure is
designed for reconfiguration purposes in [6]. A two-state reconfigurable equiangular origami balanced conical spiral
antenna is proposed to radiate axially. The unfolded state causes a circularly polarized wave and resonates at 1.8-2.75
GHz while folded mode resonates at 1.4GHz, 3.7GHz with linear polarization [7]. In [8] the antenna's reconfigurability is
obtained through an Arduino UNO board controller and with a couple of RF PIN diodes embedded on the antenna
surface. [9] A new design of the segmented helical antenna is designed to switch its polarization by rotating its center
axis. The antenna structure with mechanical reconfiguration is implemented as origami folding and skeleton scaffolding
to operate in left and right circular polarization. In [10], a physically tuneable origami UHF antenna is assembled as a
physically adjustable on origami spring geometry ranging from 60mm to 145mm. However, for reconfigurability, the
origami antenna needs manual control to deploy its position. This is achieved by using the stepper motor. [12] A self-
foldable reconfigurable origami antenna model with a special polymer sheet that changes its dimension autonomous
concerning a light source. This light-activated arrangement is formed with the sheet of pre-strained polystyrene imprinted
with copper foil. The planar position of its shape can change into two folding and three foldings. [13] The mechanically
deployable conical spiral antenna and the quadrifilar helical antenna structures are designed together especially for small
satellites to work in the UHF frequency ranges of 300MHz to 650MHz. This antenna is folded in a Z-folding structure
and is easily packable in the satellite unit. In [14], the reconfigurability is obtained through a novel nodeMCU based IoT
controller and with a couple of RF PIN diodes mounted on the antenna surface.
In this research work, a novel design of cone-shaped frequency reconfigurable origami antenna is designed
and implemented with LabVIEW controlled stepper motor.
II. MODELLING OF CONE SHAPE ORIGAMI DESIGN
The major design factors of the origami antenna are shape, choice of conductor and material. Prime care is taken
in the thickness of the paper substrate material for the stability of the cone assembly and to hold the copper conductor.
The cone structure can be varied inward and outward mode such that cone height and base circumference
correspondingly vary and tune to particular frequency of operation [16]. In this work, the antenna is designed by shaping
the paper in form of cone and the copper strip is helically wound around the cone. Thus, the reconfiguration is
customized in this cone-shaped origami antenna. [17] An increment in (monofil) helical spirals in origami antenna
increases only the inductance. Increasing the number of helical turns of the conductor from bifilar or to quadrifilar helix
tends to increase capacitance in antenna [3]. The outer corner is fixed and wrapped inner corner of the paper cone can be
varied such that height and circumference of the cone varies. Concurrently, the structure of the helical copper strip also
changes that inturn change the radiating geometry and defines the reconfigurability of the antenna. The origami cone is
constructed using helical shaped copper strip of 0.05mm thickness and the paper substrate material with permittivity of
1.4. The layout of the cone-shaped origami is portrayed in Figure 1.1 (a). The proposed cone origami antenna model is
designed and simulated using the Ansoft HFSS software.

The parameters of the helix antenna are defined as follows.

D - Diameter of the spiral helix antenna turns.

(1.1)
α - pitch angle, which controls how far the helix antenna grows in the z-direction per turn and is given by

(1.2)
Ch- Circumference of cone origami antenna
S - Vertical separation between turns for the helical antenna.
C is constant

(1.3)

(1.4)

(1.5)

(1.6)
 Figure 1.1 (a) Layout design of proposed antenna (b) Prototype design of origami antenna
The prototype model of the proposed antenna is shown in Figure 1.1 (b). The antenna is constructed with height of
100 cm and cone base diameter of 15 cm. In addition to these dimensions, other design parameters like relative
permittivity (εr) of 1.4 and copper strip thickness (t) of 0.04mm with 50 ohms of input impedance are optimized to
operate the antenna at 1GHz frequency.
The LabVIEW software configured with NI – myDAQ kit is used to control the stepper motor. A control panel is
developed for the real-time operation of this proposed work is shown in Figure 1.2 (a). As shown in Figure 1.2 (b) the
myDAQ kit is assisted with LabVIEW system to operate the stepper motor to rotate and fix this origami cone antenna in
the predefined position.
 Figure 1.2 (a) LabVIEW design window - front panel (b) NI myDAQ kit

A. Stepper Motor
Stepper motor is comparable to the standard brushless motor operation with DC power source is shown in Figure
1.3 (a), which revolves in the customized step by step angle. The rotation of the rotor apparently based on a logical
mode. So, the manoeuvre of a stepper motor is challenging when compared to a regular DC motor, where it entails a
distinct logic sequence operator like a microcontroller.

The stepper motor’s positioning signals are distributed from the myDAQ kit, but the power from the myDAQ kit
is not adequate to operate the stepper motor. Hence, a driver unit (ULN2003) is used to empower the stepper motor is
shown in Figure 1.3 (b).

Figure 1.3 (a) Stepper Motor (b) ULN2003 Stepper motor driver chip

At this occasion, the LabVIEW and myDAQ associate the stepper motor’s rotation sequence. Two types of
rotation modes of operation is required one is forward and the other as reverse rotation to change the interior portion of
the paper substrate of the cone origami reconfigurable antenna.

B. Prototype Antenna Test Module

The test bed of the prototype is shown in Figure 1.4. The stepper motor is connected with the power drive unit and
is directly controlled by the myDAQ kit integrated with LabVIEW. The front panel is designed with a knob indicating
three orientation angles of 0°, 120° and 240°. The pulse signal for the four poles of stepper motor positions of 0°, 120°,
and 240° is shown in table 1.1.

Table 1.1 Digital pulse signal applied to the stepper motor poles
Stepper motor Poles
Position angle Pole 1 Pole 2 Pole 3 Pole 4
0° 1 0 0 0
120° 0 1 0 0
240° 0 0 1 0
 Figure 1.4 Conical origami reconfigurable antenna and LabVIEW setup

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The Cone Origami Reconfigurable antenna is tested in the lab for the three angle orientation and the test results of
return loss, VSWR, Gain, and current distribution are discussed to analyze the performance of the antenna.

A. Return Loss of Origami Antenna

The cone-shaped origami antenna is for 0° position and its simulated and the measured return loss is graphically
presented in the Figure 1.5 (a). The return loss is measured by a vector network analyzer (VNA). A high return loss of -
27dB is observed in the experimental study of the proposed antenna at 0°. The antenna return loss is responsive in the
range of -10dB from 200MHz to 2GHz frequency band. On the other hand, the antenna resonates at 3.5GHz and
4.5GHz. With the help of the LabVIEW integrated to MyDAQ kit, the stepper motor is activated to orient the origami
cone to 120° and by changing the shape of the cone. Reconfiguring to 120° and changing the shape of the cone, the
antenna resonates at the 1.5 GHz frequency. The simulated and measured return loss is graphically presented in figure
1.5(b). It is observed that a high return loss of -25dB is obtained in the experimental prototype antenna and about -29dB
is obtained in the simulation model.
Further, cone is oriented in the forward direction to another step of (240⁰ position) rotation. In this mode, the
antenna resonates at 2.4GHz frequency band and hence finds useful in wireless applications like WLAN and Wi -Fi is
shown in Figure 1.5 (c).
Figure 1.5 (a) Simulated and measured return loss at 0° Position (b) Simulated and measured return loss at 120°
Position (c) Simulated and measured return loss at 240⁰ position

B. VSWR
The simulated and measured VSWR plot is presented from 1GHz to 7GHz frequency band. The optimum VSWR
values were observed between 1 – 2 in 1 GHz range in the simulated as well as measured study of the proposed antenna
and is shown in Figures 1.6 (a, b & c)

Figure 1.6 (a) Simulated and measured VSWR at 0° position (b) Simulated and measured VSWR at 120⁰ position
(c) Simulated and measured VSWR at 240⁰ Position

C. GAIN
The simulated and measured gain values highly correlates and is shown in the Figure 1.7(a). It has been noted that
the peak gain of 8dB is achieved in the vicinity of the 1GHz range. In 200MHz to 2.2GHz of the frequency range, the
achieved gain is retained in the positive half side for the 0⁰ position of the antenna. Figure 1.7(b) shows the gain
response against the frequency is observed in the first reconfigured mode (120⁰) of the conical antenna. The maximum
gain of 6.8dB is achieved at the 1.5GHz range.
 (a)

(b)

(c)
Figure 1.7 (a) Simulated and measured gain at 120⁰ position (b) Simulated and measured gain at 0⁰ position (c)
Simulated and measured gain at 240⁰ position

The gain response of the third reconfigured mode at 240⁰ of conical origami antenna position is shown in Figure
1.7(c). The simulated and measured results of HFSS and prototype antenna correlates in 10GHz range. The solid green
line shows the simulated gain result is obtained a peak gain value of 6.6dB in the 2.2GHz range.

D. 3D Radiation Pattern
The 3D radiation pattern is shown in Figure 1.8(a) has maximum radiation at 0° orientation of cone along Z- axis.

Figure 1.8(a) 3D Radiation pattern (b) Current distribution

The 3D polar radiation pattern for other two oriented angles are also similar to the radiation pattern in fig 1.8(a).
 E. Current Distribution
The E field distribution of cone-shaped origami antenna is presented in Figure 1.8(b) and the maximum E field is
observed along the perimeter and top of the helical cone. The bottom of the cone and corners of the bands are observed
with minor field zones.

IV. CONCLUSION
A flexible paper substrate-based microstrip cone antenna is designed, implemented in HFSS and its
characteristics are verified with simulated and measured results. In this proposal, reconfigurability is achieved through a
mechanical deployment incorporated with the stepper motor and controller setup using LABVIEW. The deployment is
achieved in three different oriented angles due to the flexible nature of the substrate. This proposal claims a maximum
gain of 8 dB and acquired the RF harvested energy of 1.3 volts approximately. On whole, this cone-shaped
reconfigurable origami antenna accomplishes operating frequency bands of GSM800, GSM900, GSM1800, GPS, LTE,
and Wi-Fi / WLAN.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Dr V.Arun received his Graduation, Post-graduation and PhD in Electronics

and Communication Engineering from Anna University, India, in 2008, 2010
and 2019, respectively. He is presently working as Head & Assistant
Professor at Electronics and Communication Engineering Department of Anna
University – Chennai, Regional Campus Madurai, India. His research interests
include: Reconfigurable antenna and RF microwave communication systems.
In the current study, he designed the novel antenna structure, simulated in
HFSS and fabricated the prototype model. He programmed the LabVIEW and
myDAQ for the testing purpose. He performed the RF Energy scavenging in
the outdoor testing setup.

Dr K.J.Jegadish Kumar received his BE from Manonmaniam Sundaranar

University, India. Post graduate from Madurai Kamarajar University, India
and PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru Technology Institute, Hyderabad, India. He
is currently working as Associate Professor, SSN college of Engineering,
kalavakkam, India. His research interest includes: energy harvesting,
telecommunication power management, wireless LAN, wireless sensor
networks. In the current study, he gave the idea for the design simulation in
HFSS and fabrication of prototype. He supported with NI myDAQ for
controlling test setup. He modeled the indoor experimental test setup.

Dr l.R.Karlmarx received his BE from Madurai

Kamarajar University, India and ME from Thapar
Institute of Engineering and Technology, India, and
PhD from National Institute of Technology Trichy,
India, in 1988, 2000, and 2011, respectively. Presently
he is working as Technology Reviewer, Canny
Technology Solutions, Texas, United States of
America. His research interest includes: Design of
actuators, microstrip antennas, microwave sensors,
RFID antennas for readers and tags, embedded system.
In the current study, he gave the idea for the design of novel antenna structure,
simulation in HFSS and fabrication in the prototype. He supported with NI
myDAQ and NI myRIO also gave the idea for choosing the NI LabVIEW for
controlling and testing purpose. He modeled the outdoor experimental test
setup.

Mrs Adline F Anila received her Graduation and Post-graduation in

Electronics and Communication Engineering from Anna University, India, in
2014 and 2016, respectively. Presently she is working as a Guest lecturer at
Electronics and Communication Engineering Department of Anna University
– Chennai, Regional Campus Madurai, India. Her research interests include:
Reconfigurable antenna design and embedded systems. In the current study, she designed the
origami antenna structure and fabricated the prototype model.