L&D 2020: Shaping change in learning

Technology

Body area networks (BANs)

Body area networks (BANs) consist of mobile and compact intercommunicating sensors, either wearable or implanted into the human body, which monitor vital body parameters and movements. These devices communicate through wireless technologies and transmit data from the body to a base station, from where the data can be forwarded real-time¹.

Although used initially in healthcare for constantly monitoring vital signs in diseases such as diabetes, asthma and heart attacks, BANs have become more widespread in other sectors. They communicate by seamless exchanges of information between individuals, or between individual and machines. Imagine being able to exchange business information through a handshake².

BAN sensors are routinely embedded into ‘smart’ materials³ using nanotechnology. Products ranging from shoes⁴ to palmtops and earrings carry sensors that monitor an individual’s bodily changes and emotional state. Sensors then transmit the results to personal interfaces such as a mobile phone, or to another specified point such as a health centre or nominated individual.

Following the success of cars with sensors embedded in the steering wheel, driver’s seat, and other components touching the driver’s body^{5, 6}, office furniture containing sensors has become widely available. Sensors detecting signs of emotional stress or tiredness respond by cooling the air, temporarily diverting calls, sending an alert message, or playing a soothing music selection.

People wanting ‘always-on’ communications implant BANs in their body – a phone printed on their wrist or a video screen in their contact lens³, for example. These devices work by drawing on body heat or a user’s physical activity to maintain their charge.

Sharing data with devices beyond a personal body area network has become accepted practice now security concerns have been overcome. Imagine wanting to check on a telepresence session. You call out: ‘What time is the telepresence?’ The watch printed on your wrist checks your online diary and displays the time on the watch’s face. On moving through your client’s building, sensors detect your presence and relay meeting information to your palmtop. You are feeling tense before this important meeting and your BAN senses this, relaying information to the room’s air control system which lowers the temperature temporarily, while a calming meditation session plays through your tiny earpiece.

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_area_network

2. http://www.research.ibm.com/journal/sj/353/sectione/zimmerman.html

3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4059011.stm BBC news 12/04

4. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071206-ieee-launches-new-working-group-for-body-area-network-tech.html 12/07

5. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20020211/ai_n12452595 Chicago times 02/02

6. http://ttt.media.mit.edu/impact/convergence02.pdf