When Both Transmitting and Receiving Energies Matter: An Application of Network Coding in Wireless Body Area Networks

A network coding scheme for practical implementations of wireless body area networks is presented, with the objective of providing reliability under low-energy constraints. We propose a simple network layer protocol for star networks, adapting redundancy based on both transmission and reception energies for data and control packets, as well as channel conditions. Our numerical results show that even for small networks, the amount of energy reduction achievable can range from 29% to 87%, as the receiving energy per control packet increases from equal to much larger than the transmitting energy per data packet. The achievable gains increase as a) more nodes are added to the network, and/or b) the channels seen by different sensor nodes become more asymmetric.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, submitted to the NC-Pro Workshop at IFIP Networking Conference 2011, and to appear in the conference proceedings, published by Springer-Verlag, in the Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) serie

Design and Analysis of an Energy-Saving Distributed MAC Mechanism for Wireless Body Sensor Networks

Postprint (published version

Community-wide distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets can halt transmission of lymphatic filariasis in southeastern Nigeria

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) in rural southeastern Nigeria is transmitted mainly by Anopheles spp. mosquitoes. Potential coinfection with Loa loa in this area has prevented use of ivermectin in the mass drug administration (MDA) strategy for LF elimination because of potential severe adverse L. loa-related reactions. This study determined if long-lasting insecticidal net (LLIN) distribution programs for malaria would interrupt LF transmission in such areas, without need for MDA. Monthly entomologic monitoring was conducted in sentinel villages before and after LLIN distribution to all households and all age groups (full coverage) in two districts, and to pregnant women and children less than five years of age in the other two districts. No change in human LF microfilaremia prevalence was observed, but mosquito studies showed a statistically significant decrease in LF infection and infectivity with full-coverage LLIN distribution. We conclude that LF transmission can be halted in southeastern Nigeria by full-coverage LLIN distribution, without MDA