Channel modeling of narrowband body-centric wireless communication systems

The modeling of wireless channels in body-centric communication systems is of paramount importance when designing antennas, protocols, and wireless transceiver hardware. In this chapter, we briefly introduce the concept of on-body, off -body, and body-to-body communication channels.We then focus specifically on the modeling of narrowband on-body communication channels, which are an integral part of today's wireless body area networks (WBANs). As well as identifying the factors responsible for shaping fading characteristics in narrowband WBAN systems, we discuss a number of themodels commonly used to describe the first- and second-order characteristics of amplitude distribution. The Akaike Information Criterion is introduced as a method of ranking competing channel models, and a worked example is provided to step the reader through the modeling process, as well as providing information on how to simulate the channels. The chapter then concludes with comments on the validity of the analysis presented, especially in the case of non-isotropic signal reception.