The three big barriers to universal communications in a truly compact package have been battery life, loudspeaker size and antenna length – and now the Fractenna, based on fractal geometry could be the answer to the antenna problem. Fractal Antenna Systems Inc in Fort Lauderdale, Florida just revealed that it has bought and developed antenna technology, which is built around fractal designs. Fractals are wonderful things – think of a snowflake, whose patterns repeat at ever-increasing sizes to create an enormous perimeter with very little substance. This new technology is being used to create the broad bandwidth Fractenna for substantial size savings without giving up the benefits of full-sized versions. Fractennas were invented by Nathan Cohen, who has been researching the application of fractals to antennas since 1988. They are a half to a tenth the size of current antennas for the same band, and do unexpected things, based on previous rules of antenna design. They are beautiful, says Cohen, but chances are you’ll never see them because they are small enough to bury in cell phones, wireless office devices, pocket radios, computers and such, ending, Cohen hopes, the awkward and fragile telescopic antenna.
