IEEE 802.15.4a UWB receivers in medical applications

Ultra wideband (UWB) has lots of potential in short range wireless communications. One suitable target area is applications for medical and healthcare sector. In this paper, the performances of different UWB receivers are investigated by simulations. The transceiver system was built following the IEEE 802.15.4a UWB physical layer definitions. The standard, launched in 2007, is targeted for low-complexity and low-cost devices operating in wireless personal area networks (WPANs) being therefore an option for wireless body area networks (WBANs). Another UWB standard, IEEE 802.15.6 targeted directly for WBANs, is currently in finalising phase and is assumed to be published by 2012. In this study, a WBAN channel model based on measurements in a real hospital environment is used. This study is contributing to a process in healthcare sector where the costs and the number of elderly people, in developed countries especially, are constantly increasing.