Challenges in body area networks for healthcare: The MAC

Date

2012

Authors

Boulis, Athanassios
Smith, David
Miniutti, Dino
Libman, Lavy
Tselishchev, Yuriy

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

IEEE Communications Society

Abstract

Body area wireless sensor networks (BANs) are a key component to the ubiquitous healthcare revolution and perhaps one of its most challenging elements from a communications standpoint. The unique characteristics of the wireless channel, coupled with the need for extreme energy efficiency in many healthcare applications, require novel solutions in medium access control protocols. We present the main characteristics and challenges associated with BANs from a healthcare perspective, and present some MAC techniques based on studies of the BAN channel that could be used to address these challenges.

Description

Keywords

Keywords: Body Area Network; Health care application; Medium access control protocols; Novel solutions; Ubiquitous health care; Wireless channel; Energy efficiency; Medium access control; Networks (circuits); Health care

Citation

Source

IEEE Communications Magazine

Type

Journal article

Book Title

Entity type

Access Statement

License Rights

Restricted until

2037-12-31