Introduction

Abstract

A wireless body area network (WBAN) is a network of medical devices on, in, or around the human body employing wireless connectivity. WBAN promises to revolutionize health care in the near future and has gained momentum. A typical WBAN scenario is shown in Fig. 1.1 which includes medical devices such as sensors for monitoring vital data such as blood pressure, heart rate, and electrocardiogram (ECG), and actuators such as insulin pumps and cardiac pacemakers. By integrating these devices with a local control unit, e.g., a cell phone, WBAN will provide doctors with real-time data and enable remote patient monitoring. This will lead to reduced health care cost and early detection and prevention of diseases. Remote patient monitoring will significantly benefit the aging population in regions where there is a scarcity of clinics and clinicians.