Wireless Body Area Networks Combined with Mobile Cloud Computing in Healthcare: A Survey

Wireless Body Area Networks Combined with Mobile Cloud Computing in Healthcare: A Survey

Srijan Goswami (WEBEL Informatics Ltd., Bashirhat College, India), Payel Roy (St. Mary's Technical Campus, India), Nilanjan Dey (Techno India College of Technology, India) and Sayan Chakraborty (Bengal College of Engineering, India)
Copyright: © 2016 |Pages: 15
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-0140-4.ch016

Abstract

This chapter introduces the combination of wireless body area network and mobile cloud computing in healthcare. The increased growth of low-power integrated circuits, physiological sensors and wireless communication has introduced a new generation of wireless sensor networks. Cloud computing is on high demand, whereas in case of mobile cloud computing the device is much more user friendly to manage the information. The combination of wireless body area network (WBAN) and mobile cloud computing (MCC) promises a better performance to the users immediately. It is more feasible to wire a sensor which performs the required medical tests and provides the information through devices like mobile phones and tablets. In this chapter, a theoretical study on the combination of WBAN and mobile cloud computing has been done.
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Introduction

Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN) and Healthcare

A Body Area Network (BAN) also known as Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN) are wearable computing devices based on wireless sensor network technology.

The network comprises of several mini Body Sensor Units (BSUs). Advancement of physiological sensors, wireless communication technology and low power integrated circuits have given rise to a new generation of wireless sensor networks. WBAN is interdisciplinary fields which allow low cost and uninterrupted health monitoring along with real time updates of medical data through Internet. Several perceptive physiological sensors have been implemented into wireless body area network which is wearable and applicable for computer – aided recovery or advance diagnosis of medical state. This technology is based on the achievability of introducing miniaturized biosensors inside human system that doesn’t interfere with their normal activity. Implanted sensors in human’s system gather different physiological changes for monitoring the health status regardless of their location. The data gathered are transmitted to an external processing unit via wireless network. The device immediately transfers all data in real time to the healthcare personnel throughout the world. When an emergency is detected, alarm or caution signals along with relevant information are sent to the subject by the healthcare personnel. This is a promising technology which is expected to revolutionize the healthcare system.

Mobile Cloud Computing (MCC) and Healthcare

Mobile Cloud Computing (MCC) is the integration of Cloud computing technology and mobile networks. It is slowly becoming promising technology with the ability of providing versatile stack of huge computing, storage and software based services in a virtualized process at affordable cost.

In this paper some underlying aspects of these technologies for providing the patients with advanced and reliable healthcare facilities has been described. Following topics like basic idea behind this field of research, literature reviews, statistical reports, target users, possible solutions and recommendations and future scope of this technology has been covered.

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