Intrabody Communication using Android Platform

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ITSI Transactions on Electrical and Electronics Engineering (ITSI-TEEE)

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ISSN (PRINT) : 2320 – 8945, Volume -4, Issue -1, 2016 14

Intrabody Communication using Android Platform

1Ajinkya Kulkarni, ²Chinmay Prabhudesai, ³Rajesh Sarkar, ⁴Rupali Sawant

1,2,3,4Department of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, LTCOE, Mumbai University, India

Abstract – All services which are user-friendly requires technologies that facilitate communication in close proximity. Communication between existing platforms and terminals that are embedded in the environment has become important for faster and convenient transfer of information. Human Area Networking (HAN) is a technology which enables communication through human touch. Human Area Network Technology for communication between two cellular devices which work on android platform is presented. Use of human body as a medium for communication is proposed.

Keywords – Human Area Network, Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter, Intrabody Communication.

I. INTRODUCTION

All electronic devices have consolidated over the years and current devices work on low power and have a small form factor. Humans have started to use their bodies for communication of information. All services require technology that allows communication between people and other objects in close areas. This system describes a model of Human Area Network (HAN) Technology that allows data transfer by touch. The circuit is completed when human body comes in contact with device and transmission path is formed automatically.

Communication between cellular devices begins when the path is completed. In this system, the human body acts as a medium supporting IEEE 802.3 half duplex communication at 10Mbps data rate. Intrabody Communication (IBC) is a non-RF short range method for communication.

Nowadays, people communicate anytime, anywhere and with anyone over a cellular device. One can also make use of human body as a medium for transferring data.

The main motive is to use the things that are already available with us rather than carrying extra devices. The human body works as a small conductor itself so data can be transferred through it by small currents of a few milliamperes. The amount of current which passes is too small to harm our body. The intention is to pass data by this technology as it has many applications in the health sector. Human body will not need any special maintenance for using this type of technology.

The proposed method is in the form of digital communication and better than the previous methods in many ways. It carries out noise free communication with better efficiency and speed. The software used is android based which is user friendly. Use of android oriented software is more convenient as it is already available with our personal portable devices. This android application can be easily modified based on the requirements of the user.

II. LITERATURE SURVEY

Zimmerman was the initiator of the concept of intrabody communication. He tries to use the human body as a communication channel for the first time. He experimentally passes analog signal through the body.

He demonstrated an exchange of electronic information through human body. The method implemented was capacitive coupling of currents in picoamperes through the body. Modern telephony technique can be used to increase capacity of communication [1].

Ai-ichiro Sasaki et al. implemented a method in which a sensor is used where linearly polarized optical beam emitted from laser diode is converted to circularly polarized beam through quarter wave plate and input to EOM [2]. M.Shinagawa explains the use of electro-optic sensor to transfer data through body and stated that a condenser can be made up of a signal electrode and human body [3].

Maria Amparo Callejón et al. consider a human body as a conductor wrapped in an insulator. Initially an electro- optic sensor was used for data communication. Three different methods i.e. galvanic coupling, capacitive coupling and waveguide method for comprehensive study of different parameters is carried out. A comparison of parameters is studied by keeping all other parameters constant [4]. Ai-ichiro Sasaki et al. use electro-optic detector as a harmonic mixer for millimeter wave imaging [5].

A simple transceiver structure for a novel modulation that spreads information using a group of Walsh codes is proposed [6]. The IBC technique potentially offers a more power efficient and naturally secure short range communication method for body sensor networks, compared to wireless RF.

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III. PROPOSED SYSTEM

Success of any technology depends upon work efficiency, error free data transfer, data rate and many such things. Previous systems were not capable of providing faster data rates, so, a new system with a digital approach was suggested by many authors.

In the proposed system, a cellular device working on an android platform is interfaced with one hardware module. Hardware contains Bluetooth module, optical amplifiers, ARM processor and a power supply for the circuitry. A copper touch pad is connected to operational amplifier circuitry. Basically, there are two hardware setups that include two Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART) communicating with two independent ARM processors. A buzzer is provided to indicate transfer of data. Both hardware are interfaced with cellular devices via Bluetooth channel. Eclipse software is used to build the android application.

Fig. 1 Block diagram of proposed system The Bluetooth model is RN42 (class 2) having range up to 10 meters. ARM7 LPC2148 is selected because two UART channels are required. OP-AMP used is the LM358 because it works on a single positive power supply. LM358 is provided with two inbuilt IC741’s.

Cellular devices have ARM processors so the systems are inter-compatible. In the proposed system, USB can be used instead of Bluetooth system, but in that case, USB processor is required and an additional driver program has to be developed. The system is not harmful because human body does not feel any kind of shock till 60 Volts dc.

The programming is split into two sections. The code written for the application is in java and it is developed using the eclipse software. The program for running the ARM is built using Keil. The android application handles tasks such as display of Graphical User Interface (GUI) which will give instructions to the user, linking elements of GUI, checking Bluetooth availability, fetching MAC addresses, synchronization between transmission module and reception module, sending and receiving data through BT device.

Fig. 2 Hardware setup

There are two hardware modules. Each unit will be connected to a cellular device working on an android platform. The user will communicate through the copper pads at each module. The supply will create two unique voltages

i.e. 3.3 Volts and 5 Volts. Before transmitting the data, each module will look for a Bluetooth connection.

After establishing the Bluetooth connection; mode for data transmission is selected. Receiving the data is a complex procedure. Receiver will look for start bit in data and will find the length of data and will fetch those many bits. This will eliminate the chances of collecting wrong data.

IV. ALGORITHM AND FLOWCHART

A. ALGORITHM

1) Assign the variables required for the modules.

2) Link variables declared to elements mentioned in the Graphical User Interface.

3) Continuously check whether transmission or reception mode is activated.

4) If any activity is observed then call respective function.

5) If Tx mode is selected then check whether Bluetooth is available and establish a connection accordingly.

6) User will select the type of file to be transmitted and then will transmit data in packets.

7) If receiver mode is activated, it will check the data packet’s start bit and fetch the length of packet started by start bit.

8) If correct data is received at the other device, data is transmitted through the body.

9) If Rx/Tx is complete then it will again go to initial stage.

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B. FLOWCHART

Fig. 3 Flowchart of the system

V. SIMULATION AND RESULTS

In the program some parameters are defined and they are linked with the GUI elements. There are two fields’

graphical layout and activity mains. In activity main one can write a program and in the graphical layout, the same program is shown graphically. When the program runs, an emulator appears that will instruct the user to enter some data. The data is read by program and proper functioning is carried out. Some text fields or buttons can be added to the GUI to instruct user properly.

In the application, the user can decide whether to transmit or receive files. User can determine the security of the file transfer if the user wishes to send personal files. If any wrong key is pressed a feedback error is displayed. An emulator is shown that will instruct the user to enter some data. The data is read by program and proper functioning is carried out. Some text fields or buttons can be added to the GUI to instruct user properly. When we open a main activity, user can see the default libraries are already present in main program.

User should write a program below the libraries.

The approximate values of the standard symbols used are mentioned in the following table:

Symbol Voltages (v)

0 1.25

1 1.875

2 1.25

: 1.875

; 2.5

< 1.25

? 2.5

@ 1.875

7 2.5

8 2.5

9 3.125

Table 1. Observed Values

VI. CONCLUSION

Proposed system transfers the text data through human body which acts as a medium using android platform.

RedTacton is an emerging new technology for data transfer through human area networking. Data from mobile memory or business card can be transferred.

Many authors contributed in application of human body as a medium for communication. Zimmerman was the first to initiate this idea. Research is going on to improve quality and speed of data communication in system.

Various types of electrodes have been practically used to prove the better data communication.

A new digital system is now developed which will transmit the binary data through the human body. With this system we put forward a new way of data transfer using android platform which will involve human body without any maintenance required. System is having many applications in health sector. As it can transfer data through body system can also detect signals generated by various part of human body and diagnose it. Any malfunctioning can be detected and informed so that necessary action can be taken. The system is useful in many applications and it will enhance the way for efficient communication.

REFERENCES

[1] T. G. Zimmerman, “Personal Area Networks (PAN): Near-Field Intra- Body Communication”

IBM SYSTEMS JOURNAL, VOL 35, NOS 3&4, 1996.

[2] Ai-ichiro Sasaki, Mitsuru Shinagawa and Katsuyuki Ochiai “Principles and Demonstration of Intrabody Communication with a Sensitive Electro-optic Sensor”. IEEE transactions on instrumentation and measurement, vol. 58, no. 2, February 2009 457.

[3] M.Shinagawa, “Development of Electro-optic sensors for Intra-body Communication,” NTT Technical Review, Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 6-11, 2004.

[4] Maria Amparo Callejón, David Naranjo- Hernández, Javier Reina- Tosina and Laura M.

Roa, “A Comprehensive Study into Intrabody Communication Measurements” IEEE

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Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement.

[5] Ai-ichiro Sasaki and Tadao Nagatsuma, Member, IEEE “Millimeter- Wave Imaging Using an Electro-optic Detector as a Harmonic Mixer”

IEEE journal of selected topics in quantum electronics, vol. 6.

[6] Chang-Hee Hyoung, Sung-Weon Kang, Seong-

Ook Park, and Youn-Tae Kim, “Transceiver for Human Body Communication Using Frequency Selective Digital Transmission”. ETRI Journal, Volume 34, Number 2, April 2012

[7] MirHojjat Seyedi, Student Member, IEEE, Behailu Kibret, Student Member, IEEE, Daniel T.H. Lai, Member, IEEE, and Michael Faulkner, Senior Member, IEEE

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