Routing analysis of wireless body area networks using path availability measurements

Network layer connectivity, receive signal strength indicator (RSSI), and link quality indicator (LQI) are measured in a wireless body area network (WBAN). A test framework that supports the continuously sampling of data between nodes is demonstrated. A complete test cycle of 2 seconds for a 10 node network is used. WBAN experiments are performed in a home environment and an outdoor biking scenario. Data for RSSI are visualized by radar graphs that can be played back in real time thus giving an intuitive understanding of the WBAN connectivity dynamics. We introduce a novel analysis method called Virtual Routing Analysis (VRA) for routing protocol and metric evaluation that uses the recorded network connectivity data to emulate link dynamics. The VRA analysis quantifies the extend to which routing schemes fail to deliver datagrams even in the case where valid paths exist in the WBAN. The approach taken facilitates future virtual experiments on recorded connectivity measurements.