Qualitative analysis of RSSI behavior in cooperative wireless body area networks for mobility detection and navigation applications

In this paper, we account for radio-location experiments aiming at both indoor navigation and mobility detection applications for Wireless Body Area Networks (WBAN). This measurement campaign involved IEEE 802.15.4-compliant integrated radio devices organized within a full mesh topology over on-body and off-body links. The latter devices produce peer-to-peer Received Signal Strength Indicators (RSSI) that could feed ranging, positioning or tracking algorithms. An in-depth behavioral analysis of the collected time-stamped radio-location metrics is thus proposed with respect to the captured human mobility (including body shadowing). Based on our observations and interpretations, practical insights are finally drawn in terms of system and algorithms design.