Making tiny antennas for wearable electronics

When it comes to electronics, bigger usually isn't better. This is especially true for a new generation of wearable communication systems that promise to connect people, machines and other objects in a wireless "internet of things." To make the devices small and comfortable enough to wear, scientists need to miniaturize their components. Now, researchers in ACS Nano have made the tiniest radio-frequency antennas reported yet, with thicknesses of about 1/100 of a human hair.