Channel Capacity and Optimum Transmission Bandwidth of In-Body Ultra Wideband Communication Links

Inhalt:
The communication of a transmitter located inside the human body to an external device is a challenging task. Ultra wideband (UWB) is a promising technique to use for simple and energy efficient communication in this environment. Up to now no investigations on the channel capacity of inbody UWB communication links were carried out. Additionally, there are no reproducible models available to do so. For this reason, we propose a new channel modeling technique based on a multi-layered dielectric setup. The aim is to show the statistical distribution of the channel capacity that is achievable in a capsule endoscopy application. Furthermore, the dependence of the capacity on UWB transmission bandwidth is evaluated. A comparison to existing path loss models and power delay profiles shows fair agreement, although scattering inside the body and antenna effects were neglected. Results show that there is potential for high data rate transmission. The channel capacity can be improved drastically if two receive antennas are placed on the abdomen operating in a selection diversity scheme.