CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS REDTACTON? Human society is entering an era of omnipresent computing, when networks are seamlessly interconnected and information is always accessible at our fingertips. The practical implementation of omnipresent services requires three levels of connectivity: Wide Area Networks (WAN), typically via the Internet, to remotely connect all types of severs and terminals; Local Area Networks (LAN), typically via Ethernet or Wi-Fi connectivity among all the information and communication appliances in offices and homes; and Human Area Networks (HAN) for connectivity to personal information, media and communication appliances within the much smaller sphere of ordinary daily activities-- the last one meter.

NTT's RedTacton is a break-through technology that, for the first time, enables reliable highspeed HAN. Human Area Networking (HAN) is a technology that safely turns the surface of the human body into a data transmission path at speeds up to 10 Mbps between any two points on the body.

HISTORY OF HAN In the past, Bluetooth, infrared communications (IrDA), radio frequency ID systems (RFID), and other technologies have been proposed to solve the "last meter" connectivity problem. However, they each have various fundamental technical limitations that constrain their usage, such as the precipitous fall-off in transmission speed in multi-user environments producing network congestion. The concept of intra-body communication was first proposed by IBM in 1996. This communication mechanism was later evaluated and reported by several research groups around the world. All those reported technologies had two limitations. 1. 2. The operating range through the body was limited to a few tens of centimetres. The top communication speed was only 40 bit/s!!

These limitations were overcome by NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation) located in Tokyo, Japan by using photonic electric field sensors and finally came up with a human area networking technology called RedTacton.

OVERVIEW OF REDTACTON RedTacton is a new innovative Human Area Networking technology that turns the surface of the human body as a safe, high speed network transmission path. RedTacton takes a different technical approach. Instead of relying on electromagnetic waves or light waves to carry data, RedTacton uses weak electric fields on the surface of the body as a transmission medium. Using RedTacton, communication starts when terminals carried by the user or embedded in devices are linked in various combinations according to the user's natural, physical movements. Communication is possible using any body surfaces, such as the hands, fingers, arms, feet, face, legs or toes. RedTacton works through shoes and clothing as well. Technically, it is completely distinct from wireless and infrared. A transmission path is formed at the moment a part of the human body comes in contact with a RedTacton transceiver, physically separating ends the contact and thus ends communication. A RedTacton transmitter couples with extremely weak electric fields on the surface of the body. The weak electric fields pass through the body to a RedTacton receiver, where the weak electric fields affect the optical properties of an electro-optic crystal. The extent to which the optical properties are changed is detected by laser light which is then converted to an electrical signal by a detector circuit.

NTT developed super sensitive Photonic electric field sensor for detecting minute electric

field emitted on the surface of the human body.

The electro-optic sensor has three key features: 1. It can measure electric fields from a device under test (DUT) without contacting it, which minimizes measurement disturbance. 2. Ultra wide-band measurement is possible. 3. It supports one-point contact measurement that is independent of the ground, which is the most significant feature in the present context. NTT utilized this third feature to fabricate an intrabody communication receiver for its human area networking technology, which is called RedTacton.

MEANING OF RED TACTON ? TACTON: - touch-act-on Meaning action triggered by touching. RED: - It is an auspicious colour according to Japanese culture.

RED TACTON TRANSCEIVER

Figure 1 shows a photograph of the REDTACTON transceiver connected to a PDA and a block diagram of the REDTACTON transceiver developed by NTT.

The transmitter consists of a transmitter circuit that induces electric fields toward the body and a data sense circuit, which distinguishes transmitting and receiving modes by detecting both transmission and reception data and outputs control signals corresponding to the two modes to enable two-way communication.

Implementation of receive-first half-duplex communication scheme that sends only after checking to make sure that there is no data to receive in order to avoid packet collisions. RedTacton takes advantage of the long-overlooked electric field that surrounds the human body.

CHAPTER 2 - PRINCIPLES & FEATURES

HOW REDTACTON WORKS?

Figure 2.1 shows the working of the RED TACTON device over the surface of our body

1. The RedTacton transmitter induces a weak electric field on the surface of the body. 2. The RedTacton receiver senses changes in the weak electric field on the surface of the body caused by the transmitter. 3. RedTacton relies upon the principle that the optical properties of an electro-optic crystal can vary according to the changes of a weak electric field. 4. RedTacton detects changes in the optical properties of an electro-optic crystal using a laser and converts the result to an electrical signal in a optical receiver circuit Multiple transceivers can be used simultaneously. This is because RedTacton uses a proprietary CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) protocol that allows multiple accesses with the same medium from multiple nodes.

MECHANISM OF COMMUNICATION WITH REDTACTON Data is received using a photonic electric field sensor that combines an electro- optic crystal and a laser light to detect fluctuations in the minute electric field. The naturally occurring electric field induced on the surface of the human body dissipates into the earth. Therefore, this electric field is exceptionally faint and unstable.

The photonic electric field sensor developed by NTT enables weak electric fields to be measured by detecting changes in the optical properties of an electro-optic crystal with a laser beam.

Figure: 2.2 shows the various electric fields on the surface of our body induced by the RedTacton device. Only a portion of the induced electric field is sensed by the receiving RedTacton device. The remaining electric fields are dissipated to the ground

The naturally occurring electric field induced on the surface of the human body dissipates into the earth. Therefore, this electric field is exceptionally faint and unstable. The photonic electric field sensor developed by NTT enables weak electric fields to be measured by detecting changes in the optical properties of an electro-optic crystal with a laser beam.

Fig.2.3 illustrates the transfer of data

FEATURES OF REDTACTON

RedTacton has three main functional features:

1. TOUCH Touching, gripping, sitting, walking, stepping and other human movements can be the triggers for unlocking or locking, starting or stopping equipment, or obtaining data.

Fig. 2.4 illustrates that RedTacton device can be triggered by touching, gripping, etc.

2. BROADBAND & INTERACTIVE Bandwidth does not deteriorate even with duplex operations and simultaneous access by many users. Duplex, interactive communication is possible at a maximum speed of 10 Mbps. Because the transmission path is on the surface of the body, transmission speed does not deteriorate in congested areas where many people are communicating at the same time. Maximum communication speed may be slower than 10Mbps depending on the usage environment.

Fig. 2.5 shows that bandwidth doesnt deteriorate even with simultaneous users

3. ANY MEDIA

RedTacton can utilize a wide range of materials as a transmission medium, as long as the material is conductive and dielectric, which includes water and other liquids, various metals, certain plastics, glass, etc. Conductors and dielectrics may also be used in
combination.

EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP FOR INTRABODY COMMUNICATION

Fig. 2.6 shows an experimental set-up for intrabody communication

SAFETY NO current flows into human body from RedTacton devices. RedTacton uses the Electric field that occurs naturally on the surface of the human body for Communication. Transmitter and receiver electrodes are covered with an Insulating films. RedTacton is in conformity to the Radio-frequency exposure Protection standard (RCR STD-38) issued by the Association of Radio Industries and Businesses (ARIB)

CHAPTER 3 - APPLICATIONS

MAJOR APPLICATION FIELDS 1. One to One services

With the ability to send attribute data from personal information devices worn on the body to computers embedded in the environment, one-to-one services could be implemented that are tailored to the individual needs of the user. 2. Intuitive operation of personal information Communication is triggered by totally natural human actions and behaviour, so there is no need to insert smart cards, connect cables, tune frequencies, or any of the other inconveniences usually associated with today's electronic devices.

Fig.3.1 shows a simple handshake can transfer data 3. Device personalization Setup, registration, and configuration information for an individual user can all be uploaded to a device the instant the device is touched, eliminating the need for the device to be registered or configured in advance.

4. New behaviour patterns Tables, walls, floors and chairs can all act as conductors and dielectrics, turning furniture and other architectural elements into a new class of transmission medium. For example, a user could

have instant access to the Internet merely by placing a laptop onto a conductive tabletop. 5. Marketing applications When a consumer stands in front of an advertising panel, advertising and information matching his or her attributes is automatically displayed. By touching or standing in front of items they are interested in, consumers can get more in-depth information.

Fig.3.2 shows a customer touching the advertising panel and getting information about that advertisement through RedTacton device

6. Security applications RedTacton could be installed on doors, cabinets and other locations calling for secure access, such that each secure access could be initiated and authenticated with a simple touch. At the same time, all the transaction details and relevant user attributes (personal identity, security clearance, etc.) could be logged by the security system. An Alarm sounds automatically to avoid accidental medicine ingestion Touch advertising and receive information.

10

CHAPTER 4 - CONCLUSION

At present, NTT have developed a transceiver that uses a human body as a data transmission medium based on electric field sensor that uses an electro-optic crystal and laser light. Using this transceiver, they succeeded in achieving 10BASE communication in accordance with IEEE 802.3 through a human body from one hand to other hand.

Fig. 4 shows the Red Tacton transceiver developed by NTT

The evolution of Red Tacton on the future map of Human Area Networking will likely be targeted for use in applications concerning intrabody as well as interbody communication, security, medical and many others as it offers : One-touch data transfer High-speed data transfer High level of data integrity

11

REFERENCES
[1] T.G.Zimmerman, Personal Area Networks: Near-field intrabody communication IBM systems journal, Vol. 35, Nos. 3 & 4, pp. 609-617, 1996. [2] T.Nagatsuma and M.Shinagawa, Photonic measurement technologies for high frequency electronics NTT REVIEW, Vol.14, No.6.pp. 12-24, 2002. [3] M.Shinagawa, Development of Electro-optic sensors for Intra-body Communication NTT Technical Review, Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 6-11, 2004.
[4]

M.Shinagawa, M. Fukumoto, K.Ochiai, and H.Kyuragi, A near-field-sensing transceiver for

intra-body communication based on the electro-optic effect IEEE Trans.IM, Vol.53, No.6, pp. 1533-1538, 2004. [5] M.Mizoguchi, T.Okimura, and A.Matsuda, Comprehensive commercialization Functions NTT Technical Review, Vol.3, No. 5, pp. 12-16, 2005.

12