Priority based mac protocols for critical data transmission in wireless body area network

Abstract

Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN) is a special type of wireless newlinesensor network which consists of various medical sensor nodes and a network newlinecoordinator node. Sensor nodes are placed on different parts of the human newlinebody to monitor the vital parameters and transmit all the collected data to the newlinecoordinator node over wireless medium for further process. The sensed data newlinehas different levels of importance, generation rate, and arrival rate. However, newlinethe transmission of time critical data to the coordinator node is a very newlinechallenging task because of the shared characteristics of the wireless medium. newlineMedium Access Control (MAC) protocol serves a vital role in regulating the use of the shared medium. Due to the unique requirements of WBAN, the design of MAC protocol is always placed on the top of the data newlinecommunication process. Besides, the design of MAC protocols are affected newlineby various factors such as transmission delay, power consumption, collisions, newlineand bandwidth wastage etc.The transmission delay of critical data packet is always considered newlineas one of the most significant issue in WBAN. The unscheduled data traffic, newlineunutilized time slots, lack of service differentiation, traffic prioritization, and newlineinfinite arrival of traffic loads are the main causes that increase the possibility newlineof delay in time critical data. The power consumption is another crucial issue newlinethat substantially affects the design of MAC protocol. The major reasons for newlinepower consumption are idle listening, collisions, control packets overhead, newlineand overhearing etc. Hence, the choice of MAC protocol for WBAN has a newlinedirect bearing on the minimum delay of critical data transmissions, power newlineefficiency, and reliability. The traditional MAC protocols designed for newlineWBAN could not handle time critical data packet in an efficient way. Hence newline newline