Performance evaluation of IEEE 802.15.6 MAC for Wearable Body Sensor Networks using a Space-Time dependent radio link model

In this paper a realistic performance evaluation of the IEEE 802.15.6 Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol for wireless body sensor networks (WBSNs) is presented. The accuracy of the evaluation rely on the enhanced mobility and radio link models, which are based on real-time motion capture mobility traces. Bio-mechanical modeling is used to capture 'walking', 'stand-sit' and 'running' patterns for comprehensive mobility modeling. There are multiple contributions in this paper. First, dynamic (i.e., space and time-varying) mobility models are presented which provides dynamic distances and hence more accurate pathloss models in comparison to IEEE 802.15.6 channel models. Second, accurate radio-link modeling is presented which computes on-line Signal-to-Noise-Ratio (SNR), Bit-Error- Rate (BER) and Packet-Error-Rate (PER). Third, a comprehensive analysis of the IEEE 802.15.6 PHY and MAC layers parameters are explored. The rescue and critical applications based specific constraints are used to analyze the IEEE 802.15.6 standard. Finally, few configurations among huge set of possibilities are selected for performance evaluation. Three metrics i.e., Packet Delivery Radio (PDR), energy consumption and latency are considered. At higher transmission power (i.e., 0 dBm), most of the medical applications data rates constraints are satisfied, whereas, at lower transmit power with high data rates and higher frequency, the results does not meet the non-medical applications requirements. However, further optimization by dynamically adjusting the number of slots and its duration at the MAC layer can improve the throughput which can help significantly to meet the application requirements.