Optimizing ZigBee for data streaming in body-area bio-feedback applications

Wireless Body-area Sensor Networks (WBSN) are a key component of e-Health solutions. Many different physiological parameters can be monitored and collected continuously by wearable wireless sensors with high accuracy, low power consumption and limited cost. In this work we focus on WBSN for real-time biofeedback applications. In this domain the real-time nature of I/O data streams is of critical importance for providing an useful and efficient sensorial feedback for the user while system lifetime should be maximized. Thus, bandwidth, throughput and energy efficiency of the communication protocol must be carefully optimized. The research community is still divided on the choice of the protocol to use (proprietary, ZigBee, Bluetooth). In this article we investigate how ZigBee meets WBSN requirements showing a higher communication efficiency and lower power consumption, with respect to Bluetooth Serial Port Profile, (SPP) based solution.