Development and Validation of a Finite Periodic Transmission Line Model for Body Channel Communication

Body channel communication (BCC) is a data transmission technique which uses the human body as communication channel. The availability of mathematical and physical models which can cope with the channel description is an open issue in the literature. In this work, a finite periodic transmission line model to describe the human body as transmission medium is proposed. Bio-impedentiometric measurements from 1 kHz and 1 MHz are carried out to estimate model parameters. The developed model has been validated with measurements carried out with a ground-referred and low-complexity system called Live Wire. A +/- 3% error for communication distances ranging from 20 to 150 cm was found. This contribution proposes a distributed model which can be used as framework for the design and for enhancing the performances of body channel communication systems.