AN ANALYTICAL SURVEY ON BODY AREA NETWORK AND ITS CHALLENGES

Abstract

Body area network (BAN) technology has emerged in recent years as a subcategory of wireless sensor network technology targeted at monitoring physiological and ambient conditions surrounding human beings and animals. However, BAN technology also introduces a number of challenges seldom seen before due to the scarcity of hardware and radio communication resources and the special properties of the radio environment under which they operate. By reviewing the foundations of BANs along with the most relevant aspects relating to their design and deployment. By introducing the current, state-of-the-art applications of BAN, as well as the most challenging aspects concerning their adoption and gradual deployment. And discussing the issues pertaining to sensor node communications, trade-offs, and interfacing with external infrastructure, in addition to important aspects relating to wearable sensor technology, enabling software and hardware, as well as future trends and open research issues in BANs.