8th International Conference on Body Area Networks

Research Article

Dynamic Routing Trees with Energy Harvesting Constraints for Wireless Body Area Networks

  • @INPROCEEDINGS{10.4108/icst.bodynets.2013.253911,
        author={Gill R Tsouri and Nikhil Argade},
        title={Dynamic Routing Trees with Energy Harvesting Constraints for Wireless Body Area Networks},
        proceedings={8th International Conference on Body Area Networks},
        publisher={ICST},
        proceedings_a={BODYNETS},
        year={2013},
        month={10},
        keywords={body area networks energy harvesting routing protocols},
        doi={10.4108/icst.bodynets.2013.253911}
    }
    
  • Gill R Tsouri
    Nikhil Argade
    Year: 2013
    Dynamic Routing Trees with Energy Harvesting Constraints for Wireless Body Area Networks
    BODYNETS
    ACM
    DOI: 10.4108/icst.bodynets.2013.253911
Gill R Tsouri1,*, Nikhil Argade2
  • 1: naa8450@rit.edu
  • 2: Rochester Institute of Technology
*Contact email: grteee@rit.edu

Abstract

Routing under energy harvesting constraints is considered. A routing protocol based on Dijkstra’s global routing algorithm is proposed and evaluated. The protocol dynamically modifies routing trees based on available energy accumulated through energy harvesting. Channel-state information is gathered in typical indoor environments using two experimental setups; one with eight nodes and on-body access point and the other with five nodes and an off-body access point equipped with four antennas. Collected data is used to evaluate network connectivity in conjuncture with throughput using computer simulations and models of energy harvesting. Energy sources of body heat, ambient light, direct sunlight and ambient airflow are considered. A threshold effect is observed for all energy sources and both experimental setups; if the throughput is set below threshold value the network is reliably connected. The thresholds are shown to be higher than 500 bytes/sec for direct sunlight and within 80-190 bytes/sec for other energy sources when using currently available energy harvesting technology.