A protocol for automatic sensor detection and identification in a wireless biodevice network

As transducer devices continue to shrink in size, they become increasingly suitable for implantation, enabling the creation of an exciting new class of wireless biodevice networks. A biodevice consists of sensor(s), actuator(s) and microcontroller(s) used to monitor and control biological processes. A wireless biodevice uses the principle of electromagnetic induction to receive power and data communications from an external interrogator. Multiple wireless biodevices and interrogator devices may be organized into a wireless instrumentation network (WIN). This paper starts by examining the motivations for WIN design, followed by a description of the proposed WIN architecture for subcutaneously implanted biodevices. Next, the design of a data-link layer protocol for the automatic detection and identification of implanted biodevices is described and analyzed. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of the network and protocol are discussed.