Optimization of wireless body area network performance with simplified electromagnetic model of the body

In this paper the optimization method and example for a wireless body area network is presented. The optimization goal is to improve the performance of the body area sensor network with respect to the on-body transmission channel and the off-body link performance jointly. The position of the two nodes of the network on the user's trunk are the design variables. The objective function used in the design process includes two components: one which controls the on-body data transmission between the 3 sensor nodes and another controlling the off-body transmission between the nodes and the remote receiver. The optimization procedure utilizes a low-cost EStra which is an evolutionary strategy optimization algorithm linked with finite-difference time-domain method based XFdtd electromagnetic simulator. Considering the two on-body and off-body components, the objective-alternance approach applied in this research yields a solution of the problem that compromise between on-body and off-body optimal solution.