TY - GEN
T1 - Digital modulation and achievable information rates of thru-body haptic communications
AU - Hanisch, Natalie
AU - Pierobon, Massimiliano
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 SPIE.
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - The ever increasing biocompatibility and pervasive nature of wearable and implantable devices demand novel sustainable solutions to realize their connectivity, which can impact broad application scenarios such as in the defense, biomedicine, and entertainment fields. Where wireless electromagnetic communications are facing challenges such as device miniaturization, energy scarcity, limited range, and possibility of interception, solutions not only inspired but also based on natural communication means might result into valid alternatives. In this paper, a communication paradigm where digital information is propagated through the nervous system is proposed and analyzed on the basis of achievable information rates. In particular, this paradigm is based on an analytical framework where the response of a system based on haptic (tactile) information transmission and ElectroEncephaloGraphy (EEG)-based reception is modeled and characterized. Computational neuroscience models of the somatosensory signal representation in the brain, coupled with models of the generation and propagation of somatosensory stimulation from skin mechanoreceptors, are employed in this paper to provide a proof-of-concept evaluation of achievable performance in encoding information bits into tactile stimulation, and decoding them from the recorded brain activity. Based on these models, the system is simulated and the resulting data are utilized to train a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier, which is finally used to provide a proof-of-concept validation of the system performance in terms of information rates against bit error probability at the reception.
AB - The ever increasing biocompatibility and pervasive nature of wearable and implantable devices demand novel sustainable solutions to realize their connectivity, which can impact broad application scenarios such as in the defense, biomedicine, and entertainment fields. Where wireless electromagnetic communications are facing challenges such as device miniaturization, energy scarcity, limited range, and possibility of interception, solutions not only inspired but also based on natural communication means might result into valid alternatives. In this paper, a communication paradigm where digital information is propagated through the nervous system is proposed and analyzed on the basis of achievable information rates. In particular, this paradigm is based on an analytical framework where the response of a system based on haptic (tactile) information transmission and ElectroEncephaloGraphy (EEG)-based reception is modeled and characterized. Computational neuroscience models of the somatosensory signal representation in the brain, coupled with models of the generation and propagation of somatosensory stimulation from skin mechanoreceptors, are employed in this paper to provide a proof-of-concept evaluation of achievable performance in encoding information bits into tactile stimulation, and decoding them from the recorded brain activity. Based on these models, the system is simulated and the resulting data are utilized to train a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier, which is finally used to provide a proof-of-concept validation of the system performance in terms of information rates against bit error probability at the reception.
KW - Body area networks
KW - Communication system modeling
KW - Device-To-device networks
KW - Electroencephalogram
KW - Haptic communications
KW - Neural field theory
KW - Somatosensory evoked potentials
KW - Wearable sensor networks
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U2 - 10.1117/12.2262842
DO - 10.1117/12.2262842
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85023751295
T3 - Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
BT - Disruptive Technologies in Sensors and Sensor Systems
A2 - Hall, Russell D.
A2 - Blowers, Misty
A2 - Williams, Jonathan
PB - SPIE
T2 - Disruptive Technologies in Sensors and Sensor Systems 2017
Y2 - 11 April 2017 through 12 April 2017
ER -