People are built into wireless networks

Stunning forecast recently issued specialists of the Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology at Queen's University Belfast (UK): a body of people can become the basis for future communication networks at the expense of many wearable sensors. A team of researchers led by Simon Cotton, which develops high-speed wireless networks of the future generation, believes that the human body is perfect for the role of receiving and transmitting stations and may serve as a basis for creating wireless networks.

"These networks" from body to body "have a lot of advantages - convinced Dr. Simon, - and they can significantly reduce costs as the construction of costly, multiple base stations, and on health services. People used to send data over the wire, then learned how to communicate through the air, and now the human body becomes the medium of communication ".

This optimistic forecast was made after an interesting experiment conducted by scientists from Korea University in Seoul. It happened this spring. I recall that when a team of researchers led by Dr. Lee Sang-Hoon transmits data at speeds of 10 megabits per second through the man's hand between two electrodes placed in the skin at a distance of 30 centimeters.

Why, as a medium for "wireless" were chosen human veils? According to many experts, low-frequency electromagnetic waves pass through the skin with little attenuation, especially its well protected "network" from outside influence. Therefore, as an "information" was used precisely these types of waves (as you know, in these wireless networks is mainly used radio microwave.)

"If we had used for each broadcast the measured vital signs, then we would need to use a variety of batteries for each sensor - explained study leader Lee Sang-hoon. - Broadband in the skin would reduce energy demand and, consequently, in power supplies approximately by 90 percent. "

In the experiment, Dr. Li and colleagues used a fairly harmless skin metal electrodes coated with a flexible polymer, which is enriched with silicon. They asked volunteers to wear an electrode on the shoulder or behind the ear for a week and made sure that option is really safe for the body.

Additionally, tests were run cytotoxicity (ie, the poison is a substance the cell surface of the electrodes or not), using cultures of human cells. It turned out that no toxic effects on epithelial cells does not render the device.

There were no abrasions and heavy feeling this device also does not call, because its thickness is only 300 micrometers, as three human hairs, and it weighs about the same. In addition, the device withstands the test flexion at 90 degrees about 700 thousand times.

What data was sent across the skin a wireless network? It was about the pulse of the human heart. However, Korean biologists believe that the spectrum of the transmitted data can be much wider. Over time, they note, so you can send every second report on the status of all human organs. This is especially important for patients suffering from diseases of the heart, kidneys, liver and pancreas, in fact in violation of the functioning of these bodies requires constant monitoring of their condition, and the traditional ways to hold it quite difficult.

"New versions might even implanted under the skin for longer-term and deep monitoring of various indicators of health of the body, such as electrocardiography (ECG) or electroencephalography (EEG)," - describes the development prospects of this technique Dr. Lee. From his point of view, in the future every physician will be able to monitor the health of his patient, being away at a considerable distance. And this will help him "corporal" wireless network.

But how can transmit information from the body on display, located in the doctor's office. After all, here low-frequency electromagnetic waves will be very inefficient. But Simon Cotton proposes a scheme of combining the two technologies of wireless networks. According to his idea that the human skin will be placed receiver that collects information from all the "physical" sensors on the skin. This receiver will be associated with microtransmitter working on traditional microwave radio waves. It was he who would liaise between the patient and doctor.
In addition, on the same principle can also "connect" the two people to each other. It is not excluded that this will be true for parents who are concerned about the health of your child, being at this time far away from him. The truth is not quite clear whether it wants the child.