WBAN- An Experimental Approach

Abstract: Advances in bio-medical science and engineering, and with the miniaturization of biosensors, there has been a serious revolution in the field of Body Area Networking. A biosensor is an analytical device which converts a biological response into an electrical signal which is later processed or forwarded. Advances in wireless communication technologies, such as wearable and implantable biosensors, along with recent developments in embedded system design and low power sensor circuitry has led to the deployment of innovative health care monitoring system. In this paper various biological parameters/physiological parameters of a human being is measured and recorded using Body Area Networks. We make use of wireless protocols and routing algorithms [3] which constitutes Wireless BAN called (WBAN). The physical, data-link and the routing protocols are explained practically with a real-time example. Heart beat in beats per minute (bpm), oxygen saturation in % vol and blood glucose in mg/dl are the major parameters of interest. The process of monitoring a person’s oxygen saturation is called pulse oximetry and a device is designed solely for it. The information or data packets from all these sensors/ equipment are allowed to transit throughout the area of the body wirelessly.

Keywords: Advances in bio-medical science and engineering, miniaturisation of biosensors, Body Area Networking, low power sensor circuitry, biological parameters/physiological parameters, beats per minute (bpm), oxygen saturation in % vol and blood glucose in mg/dl, pulse oximetry, Wireless BAN called (WBAN), Network layer.