Virtual AntennaTM Technology: the Next Generation Antenna for Wireless Devices

Project Information

VATech

Grant agreement ID: 674491

DOI

10.3030/674491

Project closed

EC signature date 8 May 2015

Start date 1 June 2015

End date 31 May 2017

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies - Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

Total cost

€ 1 082 485,00

EU contribution

€ 757 739,50

Coordinated by

FRACTUS SA
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - VATech (Virtual AntennaTM Technology: the Next Generation Antenna for Wireless Devices)

Reporting period: 2016-06-01 to 2017-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The main objective of the project is to take to market a new disruptive antenna technology (Virtual AntennaTM) which has been patented by Fractus, based on a new element (antenna booster) as replacement of existing antennas in wireless devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. The aim is to obtain a unique miniature and multiband solution (10 times smaller in volume than conventional antennas) for these devices and valid for all frequency bands of operation (2G, 3G, 4G).
The appearance of new mobile bands and smart antenna technologies, adds additional challenges to the integration of conventional antenna solutions inside handset platforms. Virtual AntennaTM Technology, as a miniature multiband antenna technology, can solve all existing limitations by offering advantages (mainly cost, size reduction, off-the-shelf, pick&place maintaining technical performance) for wireless devices manufacturers.
The Information Society will benefit of the advantages that the antenna brings to wireless devices, for example, more bands for sending very fast information and the possibility of making smaller and thinner devices.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

• Development of 2 new products (RUN mXTEND and ALLmXTEND).
• 2 papers with oral presentations at EUCAP’16.
• Two invited workshops.
• One pitch at Mobile World Congress (Shangai).
• Over 20 customer projects: recommendations, simulation and integration services.
• Attendance to several Trade shows.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Reducing the size of the antenna component by a ten times factor represents an order of magnitude smaller than other current state of the art handset antennas, while offering the required electromagnetic performance.
Big market is ahead of mobile phone and other wireless devices manufacturers. The concept is disruptive because the solution is standard, miniature, its cost half the cost of conventional solutions, it has several patents granted and matches a specific demand from the mobile devices market.
Although the main target for the initial deployment are smartphones, tablets, M2M devices and headsets manufacturers, a wider expansion will be made to secondary devices (eBooks, laptops and other wireless devices)
All developments that contribute to improved performance and Internet services on mobile devices, have tremendous impact in terms of social benefits, since the use of such devices is constantly present in the daily life of society, both at the workplace (mails , agendas, etc.) and personal life (social networks , contacts, etc.)

New product All-In-One