Investigating the Feasibility of Multiple UWB Transmitters in Brain Computer Interface (BCI) Applications

Book excerpt: Low power and miniature size devices play important role in wireless body area networks by collecting information about symptoms and transmitting them to other devices. These devices can be smart enough to deliver solution on their own or at least alert the official handling the patient. Low power consumption, miniature form factor and high data rate are imperative requirements of devices that are part of WBAN irrespective of being implantable or wearable. I hereby propose use of Ultra-Wideband radio technology as preferred wireless technology. Low on chip power consumption, low die size and high data rates are factors that drive my choice for this wireless technology. Design of IR UWB based communication system is simple and compact as they us impulses on physical layer for communication. Usage of impulses reduces heat dissipation and thereby eliminating any adverse effects on human tissues. A wireless channel model emulating real scenario of implanting two UWB transmitter inside human brain, transmitting signals to one UWB receiver sitting outside human brain on skull is presented. Received signal power from both transmitters, packet collision at receiver and impulse responses of respective wireless channels are presented.