Integrating UHF RFID Antennas into Surgical Instruments

This paper details a technique where a nonresonant metallic surgical instrument – in this case a scalpel handle – can be modified to effectively incorporate UHF RFID functionality, where the instrument itself serves as the antenna. This is achieved by modification of the instrument with a longitudinal slot dimensioned such that an impedance match can be realized to the target RFID device. Aimed at the European UHF RFID band we demonstrate the technique both by simulation and measurement the modification of a commercially available scalpel handle resulting in an efficient UHF RFID far-field tag.