Using time-of-flight for WLAN localization: feasibility study

Although signal strength based techniques are widely employed for WLAN localization, they generally suffer from providing highly accurate location information. In this paper, we first present the general shortcomings of the signal strength based approaches used for WLANbased localization and then state reasons why time-of-flight could be an attractive alternative. We subsequently analyze the feasibility of using time-of-flight technique for WLAN localization by synchronizing the clock using Network Time Protocol (NTP) as well as measuring the time at (i) network layer level, (ii) data link layer level, and (iii) firmware level. We conclude that at present using TOF is not a feasible approach because of the limitation of current hardware and protocols

Mobihealth: mobile health services based on body area networks

In this chapter we describe the concept of MobiHealth and the approach developed during the MobiHealth project (MobiHealth, 2002). The concept was to bring together the technologies of Body Area Networks (BANs), wireless broadband communications and wearable medical devices to provide mobile healthcare services for patients and health professionals. These technologies enable remote patient care services such as management of chronic conditions and detection of health emergencies. Because the patient is free to move anywhere whilst wearing the MobiHealth BAN, patient mobility is maximised. The vision is that patients can enjoy enhanced freedom and quality of life through avoidance or reduction of hospital stays. For the health services it means that pressure on overstretched hospital services can be alleviated

MobiHealth: Ambulant Patient Monitoring Over Next Generation Public Wireless Networks

The wide availability of high bandwidth public wireless networks as well as the miniaturisation of medical sensors and network access hardware allows the development of advanced ambulant patient monitoring systems. The MobiHealth project developed a complete system and service that allows the continuous monitoring of vital signals and their transmission to the health care institutes in real time using GPRS and UMTS networks. The MobiHealth system is based on the concept of a Body Area Network (BAN) allowing high personalization of the monitored signals and thus adaptation to different classes of patients. The system and service has been trialed in four European countries and for different patient cases. First results confirm the usefulness of the system and the advantages it offers to patients and medical personnel

Mobile Patient Monitoring: The Mobihealth System

The forthcoming wide availability of high bandwidth public wireless networks will give rise to new mobile healthcare services. To this end, the MobiHealth project has developed and trialed a highly customisable vital signs monitoring system based on a body area network (BAN) and a mobile-health (m-health) service platform utilising next generation public wireless networks. The developed system allows the incorporation of diverse medical sensors via wireless connections, and the live transmission of the measured vital signs over public wireless networks to healthcare providers. Nine trials with different healthcare scenarios and patient groups in four different European countries have been conducted. These have been performed to test the service and the network infrastructure including its suitability for mobile healthcare applications. Preliminary results have documented the feasibility of using the system, but also demonstrated logistical problems with use of the BANs and the infrastructure for transmitting mobile healthcare data

MESH Release 2 implementation at CTIT

This document contains a description of the development done at CTIT on the MESH services platform, a TINA-based platform for the deployment and exploitation of services to support teamwork. It provides an overview of the results and the usability of architectural solutions and technologies used during this development

A New Large Scale Distributed System: Object Distribution

We introduce in this work Object Distribution System, a distributed system based on distribution models used in everyday life (e.g. food distribution chains, newspapers, etc.). This system is designed to scale correctly in a wide area network, using weak consistency replication mechanisms. It is formed by two independent virtual networks on top of Internet, one for replicating objects and the other one to build distribution chains to be used by the first network. As in Internet some sites often become inaccessible due to latency, partitions and flashcrowd, objects in our system are accessed locally and updated off-line. It also provides methods for the classification of objects. This allows selective distribution, and provides order in the chaos that reigns nowadays in Internet. Distribution chains are build dynamically to provide end users with the objects they want to consume, while making good use of available resources

Demonstrating FLAVOUR: Friendly Location-aware conference Assistant with priVacy Observant architectURe

In this paper, we describe an implementation of FLAVOUR (Friendly Location-aware conference Assistant with priVacy Observant architectURe), in which people/infrastructure resources act as individual service providers offering their location as a service. By subscribing to this service, in the one hand, conference participants can be aware of each others whereabouts as well as being able to chat. On the other hand, conference organizers can notify interested attendants about special events such as cancellation of a track or change in the presentation rooms. The presented architecture uses existing WLAN infrastructure for cost efficiency, and uniquely incorporates the location information as a service into Jini service discovery platform. Location itself is determined with high accuracy by using a calibration free technique