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Ph. D. Dissertation, School of Engineering and Applied Science, SMU View project
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Abstract—In this paper we perform signal strength and wireless transmission, from inside of the body to external
channel impulse response simulations using an accurate transceivers, is just starting to get traction. Characterization
human body model and we investigate the variation in signal of the in vivo channel is still in its infancy [7], but the
loss at different RF frequencies as a function of position importance of obtaining accurate channel models is
around the human body. It was observed that significant instrumental to the design of optimum communication
variations in received signal strength (RSS) occurred with systems and protocols for advanced bio-medical
changing position of the external receive antenna at a fixed applications. Accurate in vivo channel models are especially
distance from the internal antenna. The variations were even important for high data rate communication, such as wireless
more profound at the highest frequency, where just a 5º of
high definition (HD) video transmission.
movement causes an increase of RSS up to 20 dB. Wideband
scattering parameters were also obtained and the channel
The in vivo channel is very different from the classic
impulse response was calculated. A greater amount of multipath communication medium (Fig. 1a). Since the
dispersion through the abdomen has been observed than was electromagnetic wave is passing through different media that
expected based on human body geometry. have vastly different electrical properties, the wave
propagation speed is significantly reduced in some organs
Keywords-Biotechnology, biomedical communication, and may induce significant time dispersion that varies with
wireless communication, channel models, MIMO, in vivo, each organ and body tissue (Fig. 1b). Also in many cases, far
electromagnetic propagation in absorbing media. field assumptions used to develop channel models will have
to be removed and the total electromagnetic fields will have
I. INTRODUCTION to be taken into account due to the proximity of body and its
Wireless communication for biomedical technology is a organs to antenna near fields.
research topic that has recently experienced a significant This paper presents preliminary results in the
amount of attention [1]-[2]. Body surface and internal development of accurate in vivo channel models through
sensors (and actuators) for medical applications have the numerical simulation using a human body model for high
potential of being critical components in advanced health data rate applications. One goal of this research is to utilize
care delivery by reducing the invasiveness of a number of the channel models so that the external receivers can be
medical procedures. Such applications include, but are not placed optimally for high performance communication from
limited to, internal health monitoring [3], internal drug inside the human body. Subsequently using these models,
administration [4], and minimally invasive surgery [5]. optimized transmitter and receiver design for in vivo
Therefore, wireless communication from in vivo channels can be achieved. The results can also be applied to
sensors/actuators to body worn/surface nodes will play a the case of using multiple antennas at the transmitter and at
crucial role in advancing health care delivery. the receiver (Multiple Input - Multiple Output, dubbed
A significant amount of work has already been done to
characterize the performance of communications and
channel models on body [6] while the study of in vivo
(a) (b)
Figure 1. (a) Classic multipath RF channel, and (b) In vivo RF channel.
Figure 2. MIMO in vivo communication links.
WAMICON 2012
(a) (b)
Figure 4. (a) Top-down view of the human body showing locations of
internal organs, muscles, and bones, and (b) RSS as a function of the angle
Figure 3. HFSS human body model (with arms, head, and lower body for the human body (without arms). The distance between transmitter and
removed) with receive antenna. The antenna is rotated 360° in 5° receiver is 300 mm with center frequencies (fc) of: Red=2GHz (outer
increments around the body with a constant radius during the simulations. circle), Green=1 GHz (center circle), Blue=0.5 GHz (inner circle).
WAMICON 2012