This report provides the analysis of wireless technologies and markets that are under development by the IEEE 802.15 WGs. It concentrates on the recent developmental trends. The report is useful for service providers, IT departments of hospitals and other medical organizations, retail operators, vendors, network operators and managers, investors and end users seeking to gain a deeper understanding of new trends in the wireless communications. For systems integrators, the report provides an analysis and assessment of competing products currently available as well as an estimation of the overall opportunities in the coming years.

This report addresses technological and marketing features of several technologies that are being built on the IEEE 802.15 standard.  In particular, it is analyzing:

 - The evolving IEEE 802.15.4g standard for Smart Grid ICT
 - The evolving IEEE 802.15.6 standard for WBAN
 - The working progress in the development of the IEEE 802.15.7 –Visual  Light Communications.

It also emphasizes the significance of the self-powered sensors/radios in the creation of efficient ICTs for WBANs and Smart Grid; and is analyzing the fast-growing power harvesting industry for sensor application.

All three technologies are united by rules and features of the IEEE 802.15 standard. The main mission of WGs is to conduct preliminary studies towards establishing IEEE standards on:

  - WBAN for supporting medical and healthcare services, as well as nonmedical applications that can also be benefitted or supported by WBAN;
  - Smart Grid ICT as networking technology to support an enormous set of consumers and utility companies requirements;
  - Visual Light Communications to support communications channels created by modulation of signals from visible sources of light, mostly radiated by LED illumination bulbs.

The report provides the analysis of technical and marketing trends for all three technologies that reflects the current status of these emerging standards.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction
1.1 General
1.2 Wireless Body Area Networks
1.2.1 Definition
1.2.2 FCC Efforts
1.2.2.1 Spectrum
1.2.2.2 Rules
1.3 Smart Utility Networks
1.4 Visible Light Communications
1.5 Research Methodology
1.6 Target Audience

2.0 WBAN - IEEE 802.15.6
2.1 Definition
2.1.1 Structure
2.2 Overview
2.3 Groups
2.3.1 By Application
2.3.2 By Transmission Media
2.3.3 By Number of Nodes
2.3.4 By Environment
2.3.5 By Radio Type
2.3.6 By Source
2.3.7 By Response
2.4 Standardization
2.4.1 General
2.4.2 IEEE 802.15.6 Activity
2.4.2.1 Status
2.4.2.2 Major Characteristics
2.4.3 FCC
2.4.4 ISO/IEEE 11073
2.4.5 Continua
2.4.6 ZigBee: Personal, Home and Hospital Care (PHHC) Profile
2.4.6.1 Objectives
2.4.6.2 Details
2.4.6.3 Major Features
2.4.7 Bluetooth: Medical Profile
2.4.7.1 IEEE 11073 and BT
2.5 Requirements: WBAN
2.5.1 Applications
2.6 Applications in Healthcare and Fitness
2.6.1 Status
2.7 WBAN for First Responders and Military
2.8 Market: WBAN
2.9 Samples: Vendors
- Bodymedia
- FRWD
- Nokia
- Suunto
- Toumaz
- Vivago
- Xybernaut
- Zarlink
2.10 Examples: Universities Research-Managed WBAN
2.11 Current and Future Trends-Getting Closer to WBAN

3.0 Visible Light Communications
3.1 General
3.1.1 Free Space Optics and VLC
3.2 Details
3.2.1 Communications Channel
3.2.2 Transmitter
3.2.3 Receiver
3.2.4 Major Characteristics
3.2.4.1 Limiting Factors
3.2.5 LED Evolution
3.2.5.1 General
3.2.5.2 Development and Market
3.2.6 Applications
3.2.7 VLC Standards Development
3.2.7.1 The IEEE
3.2.7.1.1 Conditions
3.2.7.1.2 Project
3.2.7.2 Jeita (Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association)
3.2.7.3 Visible Light Communications Consortium (VLCC)
3.2.7.3.1 General
3.2.7.3.2 Experimental Systems- VLCC Projects
3.3 Companies and Organizations
- ECMA
- Nakagawa Laboratories
- NEC
- Siemens
- Tamura

4.0 IEEE 802.15.4g: Standardization Efforts - ICT for Smart Grid
4.1 Structure
4.2 Requirements
4.3 IEEE-802.15.4g-Smart Utility Networks
4.3.1 Need
4.3.2 Details
4.3.2.1 Major Characteristics
4.3.2.2 Considerations
4.3.2.3 Network Requirements
4.3.3 Interoperability
4.3.4 Recent Additions
4.3.5 Market Estimate

5.0 HAN and BAN: Role of Power Harvesting
5.1 Methods
5.2 Batteries
5.3 Power Harvesting Technologies
5.3.1 Energy Sources
5.3.2 Industry and Market
- AdaptivEnergy
- Advanced Cerametrics
- Advanced Linear Devices
- AD Hoc Electronics
- AmbioSystems
- Ambient Micro
- Apollo Solar
- Cymbet
- EnOcean
- GreenPeak
- GreyStone
- JDL
- Jennic
- KCF
- Micropelt
- Noliac
- Nokia
- Perpetuum
- Perpetua
- Powercast
- Schneider Electric
- Sentilla
- TI
- Zarlink Semiconductor

6.0 Conclusions

LIST OF FIGURES:

Figure 1: Sensor
Figure 2: Proposed Spectrum - WBAN
Figure 3: ISO/IEEE 11073 Protocol Family
Figure 4: BT HDP Building Blocks
Figure 5: BAN Characteristics
Figure 6: Addressable Market: U.S. WBAN Sales-In-home Fitness (Age Group 20-45 years) $US M
Figure 7: Addressable Market: U.S. WBAN Sales-In-home Fitness (Age Group 45 and up) $US M
Figure 8: Addressable Market: U.S. WBAN Sales-Hospitals- $US M
Figure 9: Addressable Market-U.S. First Responders WBAN Sales ($M)
Figure 10: Illustration-VLC Channel
Figure 11: LED Bulbs for Illumination: Market Size ($B)
Figure 12: LED Bulbs for Illumination: Market Size (Mil Units)
Figure 13: Cost and Brightness- Light Sources
Figure 14: ICT and Standards
Figure 15: Estimate: Investing in Smart Grid ICT ($B)-N.A.
Figure 16: Major Sources of Pollutions
Figure 17: TAM: Power Harvesting Network Elements (Smart Grid ICT; $M)

LIST OF TABLES:

Table 1: IEEE 802.15 WGs (active)
Table 2: Classification
Table 3: WBAN Medical Applications
Table 4: VLC Properties
Table 5: VLC and RF Communications Applications Comparison
Table 6: Locations Technologies-VLC Place
Table 7: Sources