Wearable Wireless Sensor Networks: Applications, Standards and Research Trends

Abstract

Wearable Wireless Sensor Networks (W-WSN) aim to provide attractive alternate for conventional medical care system. It is an effective way of monitoring patients within clinics, hospitals and remotely from home, offices etc. Several tiny sensors connected on the body can effectively monitor the physiological status of the human body. Wearable Wireless Sensor Networks are a fast emerging technology with potential applications in various domains of daily-life, such as health and physiological monitoring, sports, localization, fashion etc. In this chapter, we present an extensive set of W-WSN applications along with their specific requirements and architectures. In this context, a number of different standards are used to realize above mentioned applications. We have highlighted the importance and significance of these different standards, their key features while a comparison is also presented. Further, current research trends in terms of effective and reliable W-WSN specific routing, coexistence strategies, privacy and security as well as hardware/software and simulating platforms are discussed. In this regards several issues pertaining to effective W-WSN solutions are also highlighted.