Wireless body area network for e-health applications: Overview

Today, with advances in wireless communication technologies and smart electronic sensors, a variety of e-health applications has been realized to provide efficient healthcare services. Thanks to the Wireless Body Area Network, various operations in e-health applications can be monitored. The WBAN has invaded our environment and homes because of its numerous advantages. However, the installation of the WBAN is a very challenging task because of the special characteristics of the medium under which it works. This survey paper gives an overview of WBAN in terms of its applications in the healthcare domain, its allocated frequency bands, its channel models as well as the main requirements in the design of the WBAN.