MAC Layer Hurdles in BSNs

TL;DR

This paper discusses the challenges in designing low-power MAC protocols for Body Sensor Networks, analyzing IEEE 802.15.4 performance and proposing a Pattern-Based Wake-up Table for efficient in-body communication.

Contribution

It introduces a novel low-power wake-up technique tailored for in-body sensor networks and provides performance analysis of existing protocols in BSNs.

Findings

IEEE 802.15.4 performance analysis for on-body sensors

Proposed Pattern-Based Wake-up Table improves low-power communication

Insight into heterogeneous in-body sensor network characteristics

Abstract

The last few decades have seen considerable research progress in microelectronics and integrated circuits, system-on-chip design, wireless communication, and sensor technology. This progress has enabled the seamless integration of autonomous wireless sensor nodes around a human body to create a Body Sensor Network (BSN). The development of a proactive and ambulatory BSN induces a number of enormous issues and challenges. This paper presents the technical hurdles during the design and implementation of a low-power Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol for in-body and on-body sensor networks. We analyze the performance of IEEE 802.15.4 protocol for the on-body sensor network. We also provide a comprehensive insight into the heterogeneous characteristics of the in-body sensor network. A low-power technique called Pattern-Based Wake-up Table is proposed to handle the normal traffic in a BSN. The proposed technique provides a reliable solution towards low-power communication in the in-body sensor network.