Patria Aviation Oy has revealed information about their new fabric based antenna system.
The design is formed into a flexible patch made from pliable conductive material that can be affixed to clothing and may lead the way toward more conformal technologies. Intended for use with cellular communications and associated GPS systems, the patch is supposedly able to “maintain a strong radio signal, even when the patch is bent vertically, horizontally or diagonally” and “send location information to a remote user”.
It does have a few drawbacks based on how you look at it. The systems is currently optimized for use with Iridium satellite phones and is incapable of receiving calls, but rather only in placing them. At any rate, the concept works and could be used as-is in several situations, particularly in the realm of sensors.