Initial investigation of channel capacity for galvanic coupling human body communication

Author(s):  
Xi Mei Chen ◽  
Peng Un Mak ◽  
Sio Hang Pun ◽  
Chan-Tong Lam ◽  
U Kin Che ◽  
...  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mayukh Nath ◽  
Shovan Maity ◽  
Shitij Avlani ◽  
Scott Weigand ◽  
Shreyas Sen

AbstractRadiative communication using electromagnetic fields is the backbone of today’s wirelessly connected world, which implies that the physical signals are available for malicious interceptors to snoop within a 5–10 m distance, also increasing interference and reducing channel capacity. Recently, Electro-quasistatic Human Body Communication (EQS-HBC) was demonstrated which utilizes the human body’s conductive properties to communicate without radiating the signals outside the body. Previous experiments showed that an attack with an antenna was unsuccessful at a distance more than 1 cm from the body surface and 15 cm from an EQS-HBC device. However, since this is a new communication modality, it calls for an investigation of new attack modalities—that can potentially exploit the physics utilized in EQS-HBC to break the system. In this study, we present a novel attack method for EQS-HBC devices, using the body of the attacker itself as a coupling surface and capacitive inter-body coupling between the user and the attacker. We develop theoretical understanding backed by experimental results for inter-body coupling, as a function of distance between the subjects. We utilize this newly developed understanding to design EQS-HBC transmitters that minimizes the attack distance through inter-body coupling, as well as the interference among multiple EQS-HBC users due to inter-body coupling. This understanding will allow us to develop more secure and robust EQS-HBC based body area networks in the future.


2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 821-826 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuang Zhang ◽  
Sio Hang Pun ◽  
Peng Un Mak ◽  
Yu-Ping Qin ◽  
Yi-He Liu ◽  
...  

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