Link layer behavior of body area networks at 2.4 GHz

Abstract

Body Area Networks (BANs) can perform the task of continuous, remote monitoring of a patient's physiological signals in diverse environments. Apart from providing healthcare professionals with extensive logs of a patient's physiological history, BANs can be used to identify and react to emergency situations. We identify three important factors that afflict wireless communication in BANs: impermeability of the human body to radio waves at frequencies commonly used in BANs, efficient operation in mobile and time-varying environments, and mission-critical requirements for quick response to emergencies. An understanding of the link layer behavior of wireless sensor nodes placed on the body is crucial to address these and other challenges such as reducing energy consumption and increasing network lifetime.