ABSTRACT
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 themodeling
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 narrowbandWBAN 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.
