KnitID: Machine-Knitted RFID Antennas for Battery-Free Authentication, Localization and Interaction

Abstract

Battery-free RFID systems offer a scalable and maintenance-free approach to interaction. We present KnitID, a machine-knitted textile RFID antenna design that enables on-body authentication, localization, and interaction. Unlike prior antenna designs, KnitID achieves a compact antenna form factor (60mm by 8mm) by integrating magnet wire into the unique loop-over-loop structure of machine knitting. This structure reduces the size of conventional loop antennas by around 90\%, while also providing 30\% longer sensing ranges than standard dipole designs with similar size on the human body. The compact form factor creates new opportunities to embed multiple RFID tags across the human body, enriching backscatter signals and supporting a broader range of battery-free on-body interactions. To demonstrate this capability, we build an interactive sleeve to support wearer authentication, spatial localization, and interaction detection. Through technical evaluations, we show the feasibility of KnitID to provide diverse and battery-free interactions on knitted user interfaces.