Keynotes
Dr. Stefano Caputo
University of Florence, Italy
Optical Wireless Communications for in- and on-body Communications
Bio:
Stefano Caputo is a research fellow in Telecommunications Engineering at the Department of Information Engineering of the University of Florence, Italy. He obtained a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2016 and a Ph.D. in Telecommunications Engineering in 2019 from the University of Florence. After completing his Ph.D., he spent four years as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Florence. Then, he has been a research fellow for two years. His teaching activities include courses on the theory and experimentation of sensor systems (Internet of Things) at both the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels, as well as courses on Visible Light Communications at the Ph.D. level. He has also served as lecturer and assistant for many courses at the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels. His main research focus is on Visible Light Communications, a topic he has been working on since his Master’s thesis in 2015. His other research interests include physical layer security, molecular communications, and wireless sensor systems used for communication and localization, primarily in medical and industrial applications. He is the author of 50 papers, 60% published in international journals and 40% in conference proceedings. His h-index is 16, with about 700 citations over his nine years of research. He has been a member of IEEE since this year. He is the Work Package Coordinator for the Industrial Networks project of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and he is responsible for organizing advanced training courses for the Pervasive Communications project of the PNRR.
In recent years, Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs) have advanced with 6G technology, integrating in-body and on-body sensor communications. Optical wireless communications (OWC), using visible and infrared light, offer a promising solution for these applications, including communication between implanted and on-body nodes. OWC addresses the limitations of conventional RF technology, such as interference and bandwidth constraints, by providing secure and efficient data transmission. Recent research highlights the feasibility of OWC for subcutaneous Implantable Medical Devices (IMDs), including temperature and glycemia measurements. Standardization efforts within the ETSI SmartBAN group, where I lead the Work Item, cover a broad range of OWC applications, including in-body communications between implanted nodes, in-to-on body communications, and traditional on-body and out-body communications. OWC enhances IMD communication, improving patient outcomes and advancing healthcare. Overall, optical wireless communications enhance IMD communication, improving patient outcomes and advancing healthcare, with promising future directions in in- and on-body applications.
Prof. Hiroyuki Shinoda
The University of Tokyo, Japan
Haptics with Body Area Networks Improving Mental Health while Enhancing Human Ability
Bio:
Hiroyuki Shinoda is a Professor at the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, the University of Tokyo. After receiving his Ph.D., he began his career as an Associate Professor at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology in Koganei, Japan, where he worked from 1995 to 1999. During this time, he also spent a year as a Visiting Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, USA, in 1999. He was an Associate Professor at the University of Tokyo from 2000 to 2012 and has held his current position since 2013. His research focuses on haptics and mid-air haptics, as well as information physics, two-dimensional communication, and their applications. His research group has received numerous awards, including the Best Conference Paper Award at IEEE ICRA 1999 and the 2022 IEEE Transactions on Haptics Best Paper Award. He served as General Chair for Asia Haptics 2016, Program Co-Chair for EuroHaptics 2018, General Co-Chair for the IEEE World Haptics Conference 2019, and Steering Committee Chair for the IEEE World Haptics Conference 2021.
Artificial Intelligence, currently revolutionizing work automation, will eventually focus on humans themselves. The priority of technological goals will shift towards enhancing human well-being and improving their physical and mental health. In light of this trend, touch is expected to be an increasingly important channel for the information interface between computers and humans, though touch technology is currently underutilized in information technology. This talk will discuss the necessity of this trend and the emerging technologies in response to it. It will introduce technology that can replicate and create a sense of touch, which is rapidly gaining reality. Furthermore, it will clarify how this technology has the potential not only to improve work efficiency but also to support mental well-being and promote healthier, more fulfilling lives. In this context, the role of body area networks will be highlighted as crucial for realizing these advancements.
Prof. Shinichiro Haruyama
Keio University, Japan
Navigation System Utilizing Visible Light Communication (VLC) and Its Standardization
– A promising application of optical wireless communication technology in body area environment –
Bio:
Shinichiro Haruyama is an executive advisor of The System Design and Management Research Institute, Graduate School of System Design and Management, Keio University, Yokohama, Japan, where he previously served as a full professor until 2023. He obtained his Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley, and his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Haruyama began his career as a researcher at AT&T Bell Labs in New Jersey from 1991 to 1996, and later worked at Sony Computer Science Laboratories. He is internationally recognized for research in optical wireless communications, especially Visible Light Communication (VLC).
He played a major role in domestic and global VLC standardizations. He served as chair of Japanese VLC standards of CP-1221, CP-1222, and CP-1223, and also served as chair of the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standardization group that developed IEC 62943:2017, the world’s first international standard for visible light beacon systems for multimedia applications. In addition to his academic achievements, Dr. Haruyama is active in industry-academia collaboration, having founded a company to commercialize advanced IT systems.
Visible Light Communication (VLC) is a wireless technology that uses LED lighting for secure, high-speed data transmission. Leveraging existing lighting infrastructure, VLC offers interference-free communication and new possibilities in indoor environments, including IoT connectivity, context-aware services, and precise indoor navigation, where traditional GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) signals are unreliable. This keynote presents an overview of VLC’s evolution from academic research to international standardization. Key innovations include flicker-free modulation schemes, photodiode and image sensor receivers, and LED-based positioning systems. A major milestone was the development of IEC 62943:2017, the international standard for Visible Light Beacon Systems for Multimedia Applications, which Dr. Haruyama led as chair of the IEC standardization group. This standard supports interoperability and lays the foundation for VLC-based location services, digital signage, and smart infrastructure. The presentation will conclude with a forward-looking perspective on the future of VLC, the impact of standardization on widespread deployment, and the remaining challenges toward realizing a truly light-powered wireless society.
