Real-time Health Monitoring using Wireless Body Area Network

Abstract

Abstract: Recent advances in low-power integrated circuits and wireless communications have enabled the design of low-cost and lightweight sensor nodes with restricted computation and communication capability. These sensor nodes can be used in wireless body area networks (WBANs) as they are capable of sensing, processing, and communicating vital signs. WBANs and sensor networks are expected to improve remote health monitoring substantially by allowing inexpensive, non-invasive, and continuous remote health monitoring with real-time updates of personal medical records. This paper discusses remote health monitoring using WBANs and describes a prototype implementation of a health monitoring system consisting of a WBAN with a pulse oximeter, a sensor network, and a PDA as the base station.