Abstract
Wearable antenna arrays play a critical role in enabling reliable wireless connectivity for Internet of Things (IoT) applications in smart‐city environments. However, achieving stable electromagnetic performance, low specific absorption rate (SAR), and mechanical robustness using low‐cost textile materials remains a challenge. In this work, a single‐layer 1 × 2 rectangular microstrip patch antenna array operating at 2.45 GHz is designed, fabricated, and experimentally evaluated using three textile substrates (felt, denim, and polyester) and two conductive materials (copper tape and conductive fabric). The antennas are characterized in terms of impedance matching, gain, radiation pattern, bending‐induced detuning, and SAR compliance. The results demonstrate that material selection has a dominant influence on antenna performance, with the denim–conductive fabric configuration providing the most balanced trade‐off between gain (2.04 dBi), impedance stability, and mechanical flexibility. SAR analysis shows values of 0.005 W/kg (1 g) and 0.015 W/kg (10 g) at 2.45 GHz, which are significantly below international safety limits and achieved without the use of artificial magnetic conductors or electromagnetic bandgap structures. Bending analysis reveals a predictable frequency‐shift behavior, enabling design‐level compensation for wearable operation. The proposed antenna array offers a low‐profile, cost‐effective, and safe solution for smart‐city‐wearable IoT applications.