VLC, OCC, IR and LiFi Reliable Optical Wireless Technologies to be Embedded in Medical Facilities and Medical Devices

• Published in: Journal of medical systems Vol. 43; no. 10; pp. 308 - 10
• Main Authors: Riurean, Simona, Antipova, Tatiana, Rocha, Álvaro, Leba, Monica, Ionica, Andreea
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.10.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Body area networks; Computer Communication Networks - instrumentation; Computer Security; EKG; Electronic devices; Emergency medical services; Equipment Design; Health facilities; Health Informatics; Health Information Systems & Technologies; Health Sciences; Humans; Infrared cameras; Insulin; Light; Medical devices; Medical electronics; Medical equipment; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mobile & Wireless Health; Monitoring, Ambulatory - instrumentation; New technology; Optical communication; Optical wireless; Radio frequency; Security; Statistics for Life Sciences; Telemedicine; Wearable Electronic Devices; Wearable technology; Well being; Wireless communications; Wireless networks; Wireless Technology - instrumentation; Health-monitoring; Transdermal communication; LiFi; VLC; Optical BAN; OCC
• ISSN: 0148-5598; 1573-689X; 1573-689X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10916-019-1434-y

New, emerging technologies, transform every day our life and have direct consequence on our health and well-being. More and more wearable medical devices (MD) with wireless communication technologies embedded are being developed by innovative academic community and companies. Optical wireless communication (OWC) consisting of Visible Light Communication (VLC), infrared (IR), Optical Camera Communication (OCC) and Light Fidelity (LiFi) along with the conventional Radio Frequency (RF) wireless communication are suitable technologies to be used for hybrid Wireless Integrated Medical Assistance Systems (WIMAS). The WIMAS addressed in this paper consists of two Wireless Medical Body Area Networks (WMBAN) (an insulin wearable kit and an ECG test device with VLC/OCC are considered) and an Emergency Remote Medical Assistance (ERMA) with LiFi technology embedded. Using RF in medical facilities is subject of strict regulations due to interferences with other RF medical devices, negative effects on human health and lack of security. VLC and OCC are suitable to be embedded in MDs in order to be used by the patients with wearable WMBAN. Research on IR transdermal communication for implantable MDs has also been demonstrated as feasible and both VLC and OCC have promising future, as well. On the other hand, LiFi technology, recently deployed on the market, is mature enough to be integrated in the ERMA system addressed here.