PARIS, October 20 /PRNewswire/ --     Providing a framework for Body Area Networks (BAN), defining a
reliable communication protocol, optimizing BAN technologies and enhancing
energy efficiency of network components are the major stakes of ANR BANET
(Body Area Networks and Technologies) project, which has gathered 9 French
industrial and academic partners. This scientific project has been leaded by
CEA-Leti and subsidized by Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR, National
Research Agency) for a 30 months period. It aims at defining precise
frameworks to design optimised wireless communication systems, both more
efficient and miniaturised. These body area networks target a wide
applications range, in the consumer electronics, medical and sport fields.

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An aimed application is thus physiological data collection
(monitoring) for both medical and sport uses. In sport field, information
gathered by on body sensor network will provide better gesture and effort
knowledge in order to improve sport equipments. In medical field, studies
will also focus on evolution of wireless communication systems for new
generation implants (cardiac pacemakers).

Another BANET project aspect is the reduction of power consumption at the
lowest, in order to improve usage acceptance and ease, enhance batteries
lifetime, reduce nodes size, which could eventually lead to a self-sufficient
network thanks to energy recovery techniques.

Defined objectives

BANET project aims at completing essential gaps and shortcomings of the
body area network state-of-the-art, by providing:

- a precise knowledge of the wireless BAN propagation channel in a wide
      set of configurations which includes antenna design aspects ;

    - a thorough justification of an air interface and MAC protocol choice
      able to tackle essential requirements in radio link availability, bit 
      rate, power consumption, quality of service ;

    - a study on coexistence of a BAN network in an environment made of other
      BAN networks and other wireless systems ;

    - a study of advantages brought by the coordination of BAN networks and
      by the use of diversity on the body ;

The BANET project will also take into account the regulatory rules when
using radio devices around the body or as implants, which are essential in
terms of radio spectrum and biological issues.

Finally, BANET objective is to disseminate the achieved results to the
IEEE 802 standardisation body and towards the scientific community.

For more information on BANET project, log on:
http://www.banet.fr

BANET project partners

    - CEA-Leti, a research institute on micro and nano technologies and their
      applications, particularly in wireless systems, project leader,

    - Decathlon (Oxylane Group), retailer and industrial company R&D lab from
      the sport sector,

    - Ela Medical, a company developing implantable defibrillators,
      pacemakers and systems to treat heart failure, forming a part of Sorin 
      Group.

    - ENSTA ParisTech, a high level public owned engineering institute, whose
      Laboratory of Electronics and Computer Engineering investigates radio
      systems, antennas and channels,

    - France Télécom-Orange, one of the world leading telecommunication
      operators, serving more than 170 million customers over the five 
      continents,

    - CITI, INSA public lab, Lyon University, INRIA partner, expert in
      protocol study and design for sensor networks,

    - Movea, a spin-off from CEA-Leti developing human motion measurements
      micro-systems,

    - UPEMLV-ESYCOM, research lab working on antennas and channel
      characterisation,

    - UPMC-L2E, a research lab focused on electromagnetic simulation in
      complex media (modelling of implanted devices).

    Press contacts:

    Marie Vandermersch, +33-1-64-50-17-16, marie.vandermersch@cea.fr

    Clément Moulet, +33-4-38-78-03-26, clement.moulet@cea.fr