IEEE 802.15.4 ZigBee-Based Wireless Sensor Network in MedicalApplication

Abstract

As a new and promising technology, wireless sensor networks (WSN) plays an
essential part in a large number of modern applications. Wireless Sensor Networks
comprised of small, simple, and inexpensive wireless devices – the so-called sensor
nodes. ZigBee technology provides the framework required to support wireless
networks and fills the gap between the IEEE 802.11 WiFi and IEEE 802.15
Bluetooth standards in terms of transmission range and data rates. Generally ZigBee
classified as a low-rate wireless personal area network (LR-WPAN) technology.
This paper concerns with the use of WSN in one of many applications which it is
patient monitoring. It performs patient monitoring system using ZigBee WSN. The
modeled system consists of number of wards, each ward had number of sensors for
each patient. Each sensor node represented with ZigBee end device that transmit the
traffic to the master node which it is ZigBee coordinator. Then, The information can
be accessed by the doctor by connecting the system through Ethernet LAN to the
server. This simulation study was done using OPNET modeler V14.5. This paper
study the performance of the modeled system in terms of delay, throughput, traffic
received and other parameters that could be taken to study the performance of the
modeled system if the number of patients was increased, the effect of increasing
master nodes and the existence of router. The results showed that single coordinator
(master node) system cause more delay, throughput than multiple coordinators
system and the existence of router cause additional delay to the system. ZigBee
based WSN for patient monitoring application resulted in online treatment, history
as a database to lead the doctor in order to give proper instructions to the patient.