A Comparative Study of On-Body Radio-Frequency Links in the 420 MHz–2.4 GHz Range

Arno Thielens; Robin Benarrouch; Stijn Wielandt; Matthew  G. Anderson; Ali Moin; Andreia Cathelin; Jan  M. Rabaey

doi:10.3390/s18124165

Sensors (Nov 2018)

A Comparative Study of On-Body Radio-Frequency Links in the 420 MHz–2.4 GHz Range

Arno Thielens,
Robin Benarrouch,
Stijn Wielandt,
Matthew G. Anderson,
Ali Moin,
Andreia Cathelin,
Jan M. Rabaey

Affiliations

Arno Thielens: Berkeley Wireless Research Center, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA
Robin Benarrouch: Berkeley Wireless Research Center, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA
Stijn Wielandt: Berkeley Wireless Research Center, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA
Matthew G. Anderson: Berkeley Wireless Research Center, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA
Ali Moin: Berkeley Wireless Research Center, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA
Andreia Cathelin: STMicroelectronics, Technology and Design Platforms, 38920 Crolles, France
Jan M. Rabaey: Berkeley Wireless Research Center, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/s18124165
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 18, no. 12
p. 4165

Abstract

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While there exists a wide variety of radio frequency (RF) technologies amenable for usage in Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs), which have been studied separately before, it is currently still unclear how their performance compares in true on-body scenarios. In this paper, a single reference on-body scenario—that is, propagation along the arm—is used to experimentally compare six distinct RF technologies (between 420 MHz and 2.4 GHz) in terms of path loss. To further quantify on-body path loss, measurements for five different on-body scenarios are presented as well. To compensate for the effect of often large path losses, two mitigation strategies to (dynamically) improve on-body links are introduced and experimentally verified: beam steering using a phased array, and usage of on-body RF repeaters. The results of this study can serve as a tool for WBAN designers to aid in the selection of the right RF frequency and technology for their application.

Published in Sensors

ISSN: 1424-8220 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Technology: Chemical technology
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/sensors

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