Interference mitigation and coexistence strategies in IEEE 802.15.6 based wearable body-to-body networks

Abstract

This paper is focused on understanding the impact of interference in wearable wireless body-to-body networks (BBN).We have presented and compared two non-collaborative schemes (i.e., Time-shared and channel hopping) and one collaborative technique (i.e., CSMA/CA). For the performance evaluation, different metrics such as packet error rate (PER), packet reception ratio (PRR), energy consumption and latency are considered. In order to have accurate evaluation, a comprehensive and realistic simulation framework and cross-layered based system models are developed in a network simulator. Finally, the results show that, for non-collaborative channel hopping approach outperforms the time shared scheme in all the metrics especially even at lowest transmission power. Whereas, CSMA/CA approach performs much better in terms of delay as well as PRR, however, it is costly in terms of energy consumption.