Characteristics of on-body 802.15.4 networks

One would expect a body-area network to have consistently good connectivity, given the relatively short distances involved. However, early experimental results suggest otherwise. This poster examines the characteristics of the links in an on-body IEEE 802.15.4 network and the factors that influence link performance. We demonstrate that node location, as well as body position, significantly affects connectivity. For example, connectivity in the sitting position tends to be much worse than standing. We will present a comprehensive evaluation including various combinations of changes in node orientation, node placement, body position, and environmental factors. Preliminary results clearly demonstrate the need for researching different radios, topologies and protocol design to make body area networks viable.