Academic literature on the topic 'Body area networks (BAN)'

"Body area networks (BAN) is a technology gaining widespread attention for application in medical examination, monitoring and emergency therapy. The basic concept of BAN is monitoring a set of sensors on or inside the human body which enable transfer of vital parameters between the patient´s location and the physician in charge. As body area network has certain characteristics, which impose new demands on performance evaluation of systems for wireless access and localization for medical sensors. However, real-time performance evaluation and localization in wireless body area networks is extremely challenging due to the unfeasibility of experimenting with actual devices inside the human body. Thus, we see a need for a real-time hardware platform, and this thesis addressed this need. In this thesis, we introduced a unique hardware platform for performance evaluation of body area wireless access and in-body localization. This hardware platform utilizes a wideband multipath channel simulator, the Elektrobit PROPSimâ„¢ C8, and a typical medical implantable device, the Zarlink ZL70101 Advanced Development Kit. For simulation of BAN channels, we adopt the channel model defined for the Medical Implant Communication Service (MICS) band. Packet Reception Rate (PRR) is analyzed as the criteria to evaluate the performance of wireless access. Several body area propagation scenarios simulated using this hardware platform are validated, compared and analyzed. We show that among three modulations, two forms of 2FSK and 4FSK. The one with lowest raw data rate achieves best PRR, in other word, best wireless access performance. We also show that the channel model inside the human body predicts better wireless access performance than through the human body. For in-body localization, we focus on a Received Signal Strength (RSS) based localization algorithm. An improved maximum likelihood algorithm is introduced and applied. A number of points along the propagation path in the small intestine are studied and compared. Localization error is analyzed for different sensor positions. We also compared our error result with the Cramèr- Rao lower bound (CRLB), shows that our localization algorithm has acceptable performance. We evaluate multiple medical sensors as device under test with our hardware platform, yielding satisfactory localization performance."

Dans cette thèse, on vise deux types d'applications de l’antenne à résonateur diélectrique (DRA): 1) La réalisation d’un élément rayonnant pour un réseau phasé embarqué sur un véhicule terrestre ou un avion. Cet élément de base requiert une couverture en élévation supérieure à celle des éléments imprimés pour permettre une poursuite typique comprise entre ±70°. La couverture dans un cône large est assurée avec une bonne pureté de polarisation circulaire en alimentant l’antenne à travers deux ouvertures à fente en H orthogonales parfaitement découplées en bande X. 2) La deuxième structure est destinée à la diversité d’antennes dans le contexte des réseaux corporels embarqués ou Body Area Network (BAN). L’antenne à diversité combine une antenne fente en boucle avec un DRA ce qui permet dans un espace compact de réaliser des diagrammes de type “broadside” et “endfire” respectivement. Les alimentations considérées sont de 2 types; Soit purement planaire (microruban et coplanaire) soit mixte en combinant une alimentation coaxiale et une alimentation coplanaire. Caractéristiques principales des antennes à résonateur diélectrique (DRA): Pour répondre aux attentes des utilisateurs en termes de débit, les systèmes de communication sans fils se tournent vers des fréquences de plus en plus élevées. La conséquence de cette montée en fréquence est notamment l’augmentation des pertes au niveau des éléments conducteurs et donc une diminution de l’efficacité globale des systèmes de communication. Dans ces circonstances, les DRA offre de meilleurs résultats par rapport à d'autres familles d'antennes à base d’éléments métalliques. De plus, les DRA offrent des pertes diélectriques négligeables, elles sont peu sensibles aux variations de température et s’intègrent facilement sur des technologies de fabrication planaires<br>Technologies such as direct broad cast satellite system (DBSS), Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications , global positioning system (GPS), high accuracy airborne navigation system and a large variety of radar systems demand for high level of antenna performance. Similar is the requirement for upcoming land based wireless systems such as cellular and indoor communication systems that is needed some more specific and additional features added to the antenna to compensate for the deficiencies encountered in system's performance. Though metallic antennas are capable enough to fulfil all the operational requirements, however at very high frequencies and under hostile temperature conditions they are constrained to face certain limitations. To avoid these constraints the performance of Dielectric Resonator Antennas (DRAs) is evaluated and their new applications are proposed. In the thesis, two types of antenna applications are sought :-First is for tracking and satellite applications that needs a larger aperture coverage in elevation plane. This coverage is realized with a good CP purity by proposing two ports dual linearly polarized DRA working at X-band. The DRA is excited by two orthogonal H-shaped aperture slots yielding two orthogonal polarizations in the broadside direction. A common impedance bandwidth of 5.9% and input port isolation of -35 dB are obtained. The broadside radiation patterns are found to be highly symmetric and stable with cross polarization levels -15dB or better over the entire matching frequency band. The maximum measured gain is found to be 2.5dBi at 8.4 GHz.- The 2nd type of antenna is a dual pattern diversity antenna to be used in the Body Area Network (BAN) context. This antenna combines a slot loop and DRA yielding broadside and end-fire radiation patterns respectively. Based upon the feeding techniques, the DG antenna is further divided into two categories one with planar feeds and the other with non-planar feeds (slot loop excited by planar CPW but DRA excited by vertical monopole) .Both types are successfully designed and measured upon body when configured into different propagation scenarios. The non-planar feeds antenna allows wider common impedance bandwidths than the planar feeds (4.95% vs 1.5%).In both cases, a maximum value of DG=9.5dB was achieved when diversity performance tests were carried out in rich fading environments. This value is close to the one (10 dB) theoretically reached in a pure Rayleigh environment and was obtained with efficiencies of 70% and 85% for the slot loop and the DRA respectively. Therefore, we conclude that these antennas could be used on the shoulders or the chest of professional clothes (firemen, policemen, soldier) where full planar integration is not a key issue but where the communication must be efficient in harsh environments and for various gestures, positions and scenarios

The main concept of Body-Coupled Communication (BCC) is to transmit the electrical information through the human body as a communication medium by means of capacitive coupling. Nowadays the current research of wireless body area network are expanding more with the new ideas and topologies for better result in respect to the low power and area, security, reliability and sensitivity since it is first introduced by the Zimmerman in 1995. In contrast with the other existing wireless communication technology such as WiFi, Bluetooth and Zigbee, the BCC is going to increase the number of applications as well as solves the problem with the cell based communication system depending upon the frequency allocation. In addition, this promising technology has been standardized by a task group named IEEE 802.15.6 addressing a reliable and feasible system for low power in-body and on-body nodes that serves a variety of medical and non medical applications. The entire BAN project is divided into three major parts consisting of application layer, digital baseband and analog front end (AFE) transceiver. In the thesis work a strong driver circuit for BCC is implemented as an analog front end transmitter (Tx). The primary purpose of the study is to transmit a strong signal as the signal is attenuated by the body around 60 dB. The Driver circuit is cascaded of two single-stage inverter and an identical inverter with drain resistor. The entire driver circuit is designed with ST65 nm CMOS technology with 1.2 V supply operated at 10 MHz frequency, has a driving capability of 6 mA which is the basic requirement. The performance of the transmitter is compared with the other architecture by integrating different analysis such as corner analysis, noise analysis and eye diagram. The cycle to cycle jitter is 0.87% which is well below to the maximum point and the power supply rejection ratio (PSRR) is 65 dB indicates the good emission of supply noise. In addition, the transmitter does not require a filter to emit the noise because the body acts like a low pass filter. In conclusion the findings of the thesis work is quite healthy compared to the previous work. Finally, there is some point to improve for the driver circuit in respect to the power consumption, propagation delay and leakage power in the future.

Technologies such as direct broad cast satellite system (DBSS), Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications , global positioning system (GPS), high accuracy airborne navigation system and a large variety of radar systems demand for high level of antenna performance. Similar is the requirement for upcoming land based wireless systems such as cellular and indoor communication systems that is needed some more specific and additional features added to the antenna to compensate for the deficiencies encountered in system's performance. Though metallic antennas are capable enough to fulfil all the operational requirements, however at very high frequencies and under hostile temperature conditions they are constrained to face certain limitations. To avoid these constraints the performance of Dielectric Resonator Antennas (DRAs) is evaluated and their new applications are proposed. In the thesis, two types of antenna applications are sought :-First is for tracking and satellite applications that needs a larger aperture coverage in elevation plane. This coverage is realized with a good CP purity by proposing two ports dual linearly polarized DRA working at X-band. The DRA is excited by two orthogonal H-shaped aperture slots yielding two orthogonal polarizations in the broadside direction. A common impedance bandwidth of 5.9% and input port isolation of -35 dB are obtained. The broadside radiation patterns are found to be highly symmetric and stable with cross polarization levels -15dB or better over the entire matching frequency band. The maximum measured gain is found to be 2.5dBi at 8.4 GHz.- The 2nd type of antenna is a dual pattern diversity antenna to be used in the Body Area Network (BAN) context. This antenna combines a slot loop and DRA yielding broadside and end-fire radiation patterns respectively. Based upon the feeding techniques, the DG antenna is further divided into two categories one with planar feeds and the other with non-planar feeds (slot loop excited by planar CPW but DRA excited by vertical monopole) .Both types are successfully designed and measured upon body when configured into different propagation scenarios. The non-planar feeds antenna allows wider common impedance bandwidths than the planar feeds (4.95% vs 1.5%).In both cases, a maximum value of DG=9.5dB was achieved when diversity performance tests were carried out in rich fading environments. This value is close to the one (10 dB) theoretically reached in a pure Rayleigh environment and was obtained with efficiencies of 70% and 85% for the slot loop and the DRA respectively. Therefore, we conclude that these antennas could be used on the shoulders or the chest of professional clothes (firemen, policemen, soldier) where full planar integration is not a key issue but where the communication must be efficient in harsh environments and for various gestures, positions and scenarios

Cooperative wireless communication is an attractive technique to explore the spatial channel resources by coordination across multiple links, which can greatly improve the communication performance over single links. In this dissertation, we study the cooperative multi-link channel properties by geometric approaches in body area networks (BANs) and cellular networks respectively.<p><p>In the part of BANs, the dynamic narrowband on-body channels under body motions are modeled statistically on their temporal and spatial fading based on anechoic and indoor measurements. Common body scattering is observed to form inter-link correlation between links closely distributed and between links having synchronized movements of communication nodes. An analytical model is developed to explain the physical mechanisms of the dynamic body scattering. The on-body channel impacts to simple cooperation protocols are evaluated based on realistic measurements. <p><p>In the part of cellular networks, the cluster-level multi-link COST 2100 MIMO channel model is developed with concrete modeling concepts, complete parameterization and implementation methods, and a compatible structure for both single-link and multi-link scenarios. The cluster link-commonness is introduced to the model to describe the multi-link properties. The multi-link impacts by the model are also evaluated in a distributed MIMO system by comparing its sum-rate capacity at different ratios of cluster link-commonness.<br>Doctorat en Sciences de l'ingénieur<br>info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Gait analysis is the systematic study of human walking. Clinical gait analysis is the process by which quantitative information is collected for the assessment and decision-making of any gait disorder. Although observational gait analysis is the therapistâ s primary clinical tool for describing the quality of a patientâ s walking pattern, it can be very unreliable. Modern gait analysis is facilitated through the use of specialized equipment. Currently, accurate gait analysis requires dedicated laboratories with complex settings and highly skilled operators. Wearable locomotion tracking systems are available, but they are not sufficiently accurate for clinical gait analysis. At the same time, wireless healthcare is evolving. Particularly, ultra wideband (UWB) is a promising technology that has the potential for accurate ranging and positioning in dense multi-path environments. Moreover, impulse-radio UWB (IR-UWB) is suitable for low-power and low-cost implementation, which makes it an attractive candidate for wearable, low-cost, and battery-powered health monitoring systems. The goal of this research is to propose and investigate a full-body wireless wearable human locomotion tracking system using UWB radios. Ultimately, the proposed system should be capable of distinguishing between normal and abnormal gait, making it suitable for accurate clinical gait analysis.<br>Ph. D.

Les réseaux BAN (Body Area Network) révolutionnent le concept de la surveillance et de la prise en charge à distance de la santé du patient. Le BAN fournit des informations sur l'état de santé du patient en temps réel quelque soit l'endroit où il se trouve. Dans le « télé monitoring », des capteurs de mouvement, de respiration ou du rythme cardiaque placés à l'intérieur ou sur le corps humain transmettent des données via le réseau sans fil constituant le BAN, une antenne étant associée à chaque nœud du réseau. La communication peut être in/on, on/on ou on/off selon que les antennes sont placées à l'intérieur, sur ou à l'extérieur du corps. Le développement des BAN nécessite la réalisation de modèles (ou fantômes) simulant au mieux les propriétés électromagnétiques du corps humain. Des antennes portables, miniaturisées doivent être réalisées avec des contraintes d'intégration d'une part (aux vêtements, à des objets type montre ou badge), des contraintes de résistance ou de prise en compte de l'influence du corps d'autre part. La réduction de l'impact des antennes sur les tissus en terme de SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) doit également être considérée. Dans ce travail, l'objectif est de développer des fantômes valables pour les communications dans et sur le corps. Les matériaux de base sélectionnés sont d'origine biologique (biocéramiques et biopolymères) avec des propriétés proches de celles des tissus humains. Ces fantômes étant biocompatibles, ils sont essentiellement non toxiques alors que les fantômes usuels le sont en général. D'autre part, différents types d'antennes conformables, fonctionnant dans la bande ISM 2.4 GHz ont été développées et étudiées dans la perspective du BAN. Les antennes voient leur adaptation et leur efficacité chuter au contact ou à proximité du corps, ce qui constitue un écueil majeur pour établir une bonne communication. Différentes méthodes permettant de réduire l'influence du corps (plan de masse à l'arrière, surface haute impédance, feuille de ferrite polymère) sont testés et leurs avantages et inconvénients développés. Des mesures de SAR permettent aussi de démontrer l'efficacité de ces méthodes sur la réduction de la puissance absorbée par les tissus. Au final, ce travail apporte une contribution à l'étude théorique et expérimentale de l'interaction entre corps humain et antenne dans le cadre des réseaux BAN appliqués à la télésurveillance de la santé

[ES] La población mundial en países desarrollados está envejeciendo y con ello existe un aumento de enfermedades en gran medida causadas por la edad. Las nuevas tecnologías médicas pueden ayudar a detectar, diagnosticar y tratar estas enfermedades y con ello ahorrar dinero, tiempo y recursos de los sistemas sanitarios. Las tecnologías inalámbricas implantables han abierto un nuevo panorama para la próxima generación de tecnologías médicas. Frecuencias como la Ultra Wide-Band (UWB) de 3.1 a 10.6 GHz están siendo consideradas para la nueva generación de dispositivos inalámbricos para dentro del cuerpo humano. Las características como el reducido tamaño de las antenas, la baja potencia de transmisión y la alta velocidad de datos son las más buscadas en este tipo de dispositivos. El problema surge porque el cuerpo humano depende de la frecuencia de modo que a mayores frecuencias, mayores son las pérdidas por propagación. Conociendo el canal de transmisión se puede solventar el problema de las altas pérdidas. Esta tesis tiene como objetivo caracterizar el canal de radio frecuencia (RF) para la nueva generación de dispositivos médicos implantables. Para caracterizar el canal se han empleado tres diferentes metodologías: simulaciones numéricas, medidas en phantom y experimentos en animales vivos. Las medidas en phantom fueron realizadas en un nuevo sistema de medidas expresamente disen¿ados para medidas de dentro a fuera del cuerpo humano en la banda de frecuencias UWB. Además, se utilizó un novedoso recipiente con dos capas de phantom imitando la zona gastrointestinal del cuerpo. Estos phantoms fueron creados para este tipo de medidas y son extremadamente precisos a las frecuencias UWB. Para los experimentos en animales se utilizaron cerdos y se intentó reproducir en ellos las medidas previamente realizadas en phantom. Las simulaciones software se realizaron con la intención de replicar ambas metodologías. Una vez realizados los experimentos se realizó un extensivo estudio del canal en dominio frecuencial y temporal. Mas en detalle, se compararon las antenas usadas en la recepción y transmisión, el efecto de la grasa en el canal, la formas del recipiente contenedor de phantom y las componentesmulticamino. Como resultado se ha propuesto un modelo de propagación del canal para la banda baja de las frecuencias UWB (3.1 -5.1 GHz) para la zona gastrointestinal del cuerpo humano. Este modelo de propagación ha sido validado utilizando las tres metodologías previamente descritas y comparada con otros estudios existentes en literatura. Finalmente, se midió el canal de propagación para una determinada aplicación a bajas frecuencias con señales UWB. También se realizaron medidas del canal de propagación en la zona cardíaca del cuerpo humano desde un punto de vista de seguridad de datos. Los resultados obtenidos en esta tesis confirman los beneficios que tendría la utilización de frecuencias UWB para las futuras generaciones de dispositivos médicos implantables.<br>[CA] La població mundial a països desenvolupats està envellint-se i enfrontant-se a un augment d'infermetats principalment causades per la edat. Les noves tecnologies mèdiques poden ajudar a detectar, diagnosticar i tractar aquestes malalties, estalviant diners, temps i recursos sanitaris. Els dispositius implantables sense fils han generat un nou panorama per a les noves generacions de dispositius mèdics. Les freqüències com la banda de UWB estan sent considerades per a les futures tecnologies implantables. La reduïda grandària de les antenes, la baixa potència de transmissió i les altes velocitats de dades son característiques buscades per als dispositius implantables. Per contra, els éssers humans depenen de la freqüència en el sentit que a majors freqüències, majors les pèrdues per propagació quan el senyal travessa el cos humà d'interior a exterior. Per solventar aquestes pèrdues el canal de propagació s'ha d'entendre i conèixer de la millor manera possible. Aquesta tesi doctoral te com a objectiu caracteritzar el canal de radio freqüència (RF) per a la nova generació de dispositius mèdics implantables. S'han emprat tres metodologies diferents per a realitzar aquesta caracterització: simulacions software, mesures amb fantomes i experiments amb animals vius. Els experiments amb fantomes es van realitzar a un sistema de mesures dissenyat expressament per a les transmissions de dins a fora del cos humà a les freqüències UWB. També es van utilitzar un contenidor per als fantomes de dues capes, imitant l'area gastrointestinal dels humans. Per als experiments a animals es van emprar porcs, replicant els experiments al laboratori en fantomes de la forma més semblant possible. Les simulacions software foren dissenyades per a imitar les experiments amb fantomes i animals. Després dels experiments el canal de propagació es va investigar exhaustivament des del domini freqüèncial i temporal. S'ha observat com les antenes en transmissió i recepció afecten al senyal, la influència de la grassa, la forma del contenidor de fantoma i les possibles contribucions multicamí. Finalment es proposa un nou model de propagació per a les baixes freqüències UWB (3.1 a 5.1 GHz) per a la zona GI del cos humà. El model es va validar utilitzant les tres metodologies abans esmentades i també foren comparades amb model ja existents a la literature. Finalment des d'un punt de vista aplicat, el canal es va avaluar per al senyal UWB a baixes freqüències (60 MHz). A més a més, per a la nova generació de marcapassos sense fil es va investigar el canal des d'un punt de vista de seguretat de dades. Els resultats obtinguts a aquesta tesi confirmen els avantatges d'emprar la banda de freqüències UWB per a la nova generació de dispositius médics implantables.<br>[EN] The current global population in developed countries is becoming older and facing an increase in diseases mainly caused by age. New medical technologies can help to detect, diagnose and treat illness, saving money, time, and resources of physicians. Wireless in-body devices opened a new scenario for the next generation of medical devices. Frequencies like the Ultra Wide-band (UWB) frequency band (3.1 - 10.6 GHz) are being considered for the next generation of in-body wireless devices. The small size of the antennas, the low power transmission, and the higher data rate are desirable characteristics for in-body devices. However, the human body is frequency ependent, which means higher losses of the radio frequency (RF) signal from in- to out-side the body as the frequency increases. To overcome this, the propagation channel has to be understood and known as much possible to process the signal accordingly. This dissertation aims to characterize the (RF) channel for the future of in-body medical devices. Three different methodologies have been used to characterize the channel: numerical simulations, phantom measurements, and living animals experiments. The phantom measurements were performed in a novel testbed designed for the purpose of in-body measurements at the UWB frequency band. Moreover, multi-layer high accurate phantoms mimicking the gastrointesintal (GI) area were employed. The animal experiments were conducted in living pigs, replicating in the fairest way as possible the phantom measurement campaigns. Lastly, the software simulations were designed to replicate the experimental measurements. An in-depth and detail analysis of the channel was performed in both, frequency and time domain. Concretely, the performance of the receiving and transmitting antennas, the effect of the fat, the shape of the phantom container, and the multipath components were evaluated. Finally, a novel path loss model was obtained for the low UWB frequency band (3.1 - 5.1 GHz) at GI scenarios. The model was validated using the three methodologies and compared with previous models in literature. Finally, from a practical case point of view, the channel was also evaluated for UWB signals at lower frequencies (60 MHz) for the GI area. In addition, for the next generation of leadless pacemakers the security link between the heart and an external device was also evaluated. The results obtained in this dissertation reaffirm the benefits of using the UWB frequency band for the next generation of wireless in-body medical devices.<br>Pérez Simbor, S. (2019). In-body to On-body Experimental UWB Channel Characterization for the Human Gastrointestinal Area [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/133034<br>TESIS