Autoencoder-based transceivers for multiple access human body communication networks
Autoencoder-based transceivers for multiple access human body communication networks
The Internet of Bodies (IoB) represents a transformative technological innovation that merges the bio-physical and digital realms through networks of intelligent devices positioned in, on, and around the human body. Human Body Communication (HBC) offers a promising method for enabling IoB networks, using the human body as a communication channel for multiple wearable nodes. Despite the prevalence of HBC peer-to-peer communication methods in the literature, the challenge of implementing multiple access techniques for HBC at the physical layer remains largely unexplored. In this paper, we propose a new multiple access HBC (MA-HBC) system that leverages autoencoders to design and implement low-power and efficient transceivers sharing a common channel. The proposed MA-HBC system consists of multiple autoencoder-based transceivers trained jointly to optimize overall network performance. It supports various data rates ranging from 164 kbps to 5.25 Mbps, making it suitable for a wide range of IoB applications. To validate the design, a prototype implementation is presented. Additionally, to ensure suitability for wearable devices, a low-power hardware transceiver architecture is provided with an estimated energy efficiency of 105 pJ/b when implemented using TSMC 65nm LP technology. The results show that the proposed MA-HBC system outperforms traditional IEEE 802.15.6 based transceivers for two users with time Sharing, achieving a 3.9 dB improvement in Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) at a block error rate of 10−2 .
Human body communication (HBC), IoB, machine learning, multiple access HBC (MA-HBC), transceivers design
Ali, Abdelhay
b485c89d-3dfe-4725-9285-fd56f6900470
Abdelrahman, Amr N.
1a9bb0aa-241d-4a26-9a60-b149e5faf144
Celik, Abdulkadir
f8e72266-763c-4849-b38e-2ea2f50a69d0
Eltawil, Ahmed M.
5eb9e965-5ec8-4da1-baee-c3cab0fb2a72
Ali, Abdelhay
b485c89d-3dfe-4725-9285-fd56f6900470
Abdelrahman, Amr N.
1a9bb0aa-241d-4a26-9a60-b149e5faf144
Celik, Abdulkadir
f8e72266-763c-4849-b38e-2ea2f50a69d0
Eltawil, Ahmed M.
5eb9e965-5ec8-4da1-baee-c3cab0fb2a72
Ali, Abdelhay, Abdelrahman, Amr N., Celik, Abdulkadir and Eltawil, Ahmed M.
(2025)
Autoencoder-based transceivers for multiple access human body communication networks.
IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I: Regular Papers.
(doi:10.1109/TCSI.2025.3582415).
Abstract
The Internet of Bodies (IoB) represents a transformative technological innovation that merges the bio-physical and digital realms through networks of intelligent devices positioned in, on, and around the human body. Human Body Communication (HBC) offers a promising method for enabling IoB networks, using the human body as a communication channel for multiple wearable nodes. Despite the prevalence of HBC peer-to-peer communication methods in the literature, the challenge of implementing multiple access techniques for HBC at the physical layer remains largely unexplored. In this paper, we propose a new multiple access HBC (MA-HBC) system that leverages autoencoders to design and implement low-power and efficient transceivers sharing a common channel. The proposed MA-HBC system consists of multiple autoencoder-based transceivers trained jointly to optimize overall network performance. It supports various data rates ranging from 164 kbps to 5.25 Mbps, making it suitable for a wide range of IoB applications. To validate the design, a prototype implementation is presented. Additionally, to ensure suitability for wearable devices, a low-power hardware transceiver architecture is provided with an estimated energy efficiency of 105 pJ/b when implemented using TSMC 65nm LP technology. The results show that the proposed MA-HBC system outperforms traditional IEEE 802.15.6 based transceivers for two users with time Sharing, achieving a 3.9 dB improvement in Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) at a block error rate of 10−2 .
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More information
Accepted/In Press date: 15 June 2025
e-pub ahead of print date: 27 June 2025
Keywords:
Human body communication (HBC), IoB, machine learning, multiple access HBC (MA-HBC), transceivers design
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 505758
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/505758
ISSN: 1549-8328
PURE UUID: ebc9c03f-40c1-47fb-ab5a-ab21f72d2db0
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Date deposited: 17 Oct 2025 16:45
Last modified: 18 Oct 2025 02:18
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Contributors
Author:
Abdelhay Ali
Author:
Amr N. Abdelrahman
Author:
Abdulkadir Celik
Author:
Ahmed M. Eltawil
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