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11th International Conference on Body Area Networks

December 15–16, 2016 | Turin, Italy

Welcome Message

On behalf of the Steering Committee, of the Organizing Committee and of the Scientific Committee, we are glad to welcome all participants to the 11th edition of BodyNets, Body Are Networks, conference that will be held in conjunction with 7th International Conference on MOBILe Wireless MiddleWARE, Operating Systems, and Applications (Mobilware 2016). Both conferences are endorsed by the European Alliance for Innovation, a leading community-based organization devoted to the advancement of innovation in the field of ICT.

The novel requirements of the healthcare sector, facing - among other issues - the strong demographic changes associated with aging population in almost all developed countries, put researchers in front of new and exciting challenges. Advanced electronic and networked systems allowing real-time monitoring can strongly reduce medication time and costs. Timely intervention of physicians on individuals living alone (whose numbers are constantly increasing), or in remote areas, is possible if appropriate data transmission infrastructure is guaranteed. One part of this complex architecture is the so-called Body Area Networks (BAN) technology, i.e. the part of the communication infrastructure that directly interacts with the human body. It should be able to support both the sensing part, connected to the relative data transmission from the person under inspection to the physician, and the possibility to receive notifications and/or alerts once the data have been processed. Such technologies are already starting to enter into routine clinical practice. However, novel technologies such as nano-communication, intra/extra body communication, and others open the door for more and more accurate future diagnostics. Today, research activity is strongly driven by non-invasive exploration of living bodies. Wide-band reflectometry using adequate antennas system represents a possible way, but sometimes more accuracy is required, which can be achieved by the use of implantable sensors that can closely investigate the interested tissues and are able to communicate with the external systems. For some applications, this communication can be unidirectional for monitoring purposes, but even in these cases, the transceiver should be carefully designed to obtain the necessary data while generating as low as possible radiofrequency power within the tissues. The received signal is processed locally or sent to a remote medical center for further processing. The algorithms to extract the information are quite complex, and the low signal-to-noise ratio makes the analysis even more challenging. A bi-directional communication on the other hand represents a considerable advancement, when the sensor nodes are remotely controlled based on the feedback of the received data, for controlled drug release applications, as an example. Nevertheless, the reduced transmitter-receiver distance and the presence of different high-loss tissues introduce strong reflections.

 

In this context, BodyNets has a wide scope, which in its 7 sessions – including 4 Special Tracks organized by renowned experts in their field - and two keynotes includes all kinds of advanced applications in the field of Body Area networks. The invited paper and the Special Track organized within a European project demonstrates the huge interest on the research topics covered by this conference. Broad areas are enclosed, ranging from “Cloud-assisted Body Area Networks”, to “Sensors and Algorithms for Human Motion Analysis and Classification” going through the interdisciplinary of the topic within the “Body Area NanoNETworks: Electromagnetic, Materials and Communications“.

The biggest challenge is to put together research outputs from such different fields, in order to create new devices with high added-value contents that can be efficiently used also by people facing disabilities, with the intention of improving the quality of their lives.

 

The two Conferences are held at the Turin Palace Hotel in Torino. The hotel is just across the street from Torino’s main Railway station, Porta Nuova. The last station of direct busses to/from the airport is just 2 minutes walk away. At walking distance in Torino downtown you can find important historical monuments, museums and parks. The Gala dinner on Thursday will take place at the “La Smarrita” restaurant that recalls the regal fashion of Italy’s first capital town.

 

Don’t miss the opportunity to visit so many interesting places in Torino and its surroundings: We are sure you will enjoy them.

 

We look forward to seeing you in Torino!

                                                          

Prof. Ladislau Matekovits                                          Prof. Giancarlo Fortino

Politecnico di Torino, Italy                                         University of Calabria, Italy

General Chair, Bodynets 2016                                   General Co-Chair, Bodynets 2016

 

The Conference Brochure:

Program Bodynets 2016 is available to download