Enabling Multiple BSN Applications Using the SPINE Framework

Employment of BSN-based technologies in real world scenarios requires a flexible infrastructure at both hardware and software level. In this paper, we emphasize how the use of SPINE (Signal Processing In-Node Environment), a software framework for BSN, supports the development of heterogeneous health-care applications based on reusable subsystems. One of the main goal of SPINE is to provide a flexible architecture that can support variety of practical applications without the need for costly redeployment of the code running on sensor nodes. We also present a SPINE sensor node emulator that supports the first phase of the algorithm design, when the actual hardware devices may not be available. This approach can guide the choice of the required hardware (e.g. the sensors) to meet the application requirements based on the results obtained in the emulated environment. Such tool can simplify the research collaboration during the specification stage of a project, due to availability of a common (virtual) architecture.