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Modern portable devices are the result of great advances in miniaturization and wireless communications. Now that these devices can be even smaller and lighter without losing functionality, it’s likely that much of the next-gen electronics will revolve around wearable technology. However, for wearables to truly transcend laptops, we’ll need to rethink the way devices communicate with each other as “wireless body networks” (or WBANs). The usual approach of using an antenna to broadcast signals to the surrounding area while hoping to reach a receiver won’t cut it off for portable devices. But, this method of transmission not only requires a lot of energy, but can also be dangerous from a cybersecurity point of view. In addition, the human body itself is also a big obstacle because it absorbs electromagnetic radiation and blocks signals.
But what alternatives do we have for wearable technology? One promising approach is “human body communication” (HBC), which involves using the body itself as a medium to transmit signals. The main idea is that certain electric fields can be propagated inside the body very efficiently without leaking into the surrounding area. By connecting devices worn on the skin with electrodes, we can allow them to communicate with each other using relatively lower frequencies than those used in conventional wireless protocols like Bluetooth. However, even research on HBC began more than two decades ago, this technology has not been used on a large scale.
To explore the full potential of HBC, Japanese researchers including Dr Dairoku Muramatsu from Tokyo University of Science and Professor Ken Sasaki from University of Tokyo focused on using HBC for further use. unexplored: binaural hearing aids. These hearing aids come in pairs – one for each ear – and dramatically improve intelligibility and sound localization for the wearer by communicating with each other to match the sound field. Because these hearing aids are in direct contact with the skin, they are a perfect candidate application for HBC. In a recent study published in the journal Electronic, the researchers studied, through detailed numerical simulations, how the electric fields emitted by an electrode in one ear distribute in the human head and reach a receptor electrode on the opposite ear, and whether they could be harnessed in a digital communication system. Indeed, the researchers had previously conducted an experimental study on HBc with real human subjects, the results of which have also been published in Electronic.
Using human body models of varying degrees of complexity, the researchers first determined the best representation to ensure accurate results in their simulations, and then once that was settled, they began to explore the effects of various parameters and characteristics. of the system, as Dr. Muramatsu says. he, “We calculated the input impedance characteristics of the transceiver electrodes, the transmission characteristics between the transceivers, and the electric field distributions in and around the head. In this way, we have clarified the transmission mechanisms of the proposed HBC system.“Finally, with these results, they determined the best electrode structure among those they tested. They also calculated the levels of electromagnetic exposure caused by their system and found that it would be completely safe for the system. man, by modern safety standards.
Overall, this study highlights the potential of HBC and extends the applicability of this promising technology. After all, hearing aids are just one of all modern head-worn wireless devices. For example, HBC could be implemented in wireless headphones to allow them to communicate with each other using much less power. Also, because the radio waves used in HBC quickly fade outside the body, HBC-based devices on separate people could operate at similar frequencies in the same space without causing noise or interference. “With our results, we have made great strides towards reliable, low-power communication systems that are not limited to hearing aids, but also applicable to other portable head-mounted devices. Not only that, accessories such as earrings and piercings could also be used to create new systems of communication.“, concludes Dr Muramatsu.
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Material provided by Tokyo University of Science. Note: Content can be changed for style and length.
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