University of Oulu

Iqrar Ahmed, Alexander Bykov, Alexey Popov, Igor Meglinski, and Marcos Katz "Wireless data transfer through biological tissues using near-infrared light: testing skull and skin phantoms", Proc. SPIE 11226, Neural Imaging and Sensing 2020, 1122615 (21 February 2020); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2545221

Wireless data transfer through biological tissues using near-infrared light: testing skull and skin phantoms

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Author: Ahmed, Iqrar1; Bykov, Alexander2; Popov, Alexey2;
Organizations: 1Center for Wireless Communications, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
2Opto-Electronics and Measurement Techniques, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
Format: article
Version: published version
Access: open
Online Access: PDF Full Text (PDF, 0.7 MB)
Persistent link: http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi-fe202103046494
Language: English
Published: SPIE, 2020
Publish Date: 2021-03-04
Description:

Abstract

Light in the range of 700—1100 nm has many proven diagnostics and therapeutic medical applications. In this study, we demonstrate another potential application of light. We implemented a testbed to transmit data wirelessly through a human skull and biological phantoms mimicking skin tissues properties using near-infrared (NIR) light. Currently, radio frequency (RF) is widely used to transmit data wirelessly through biological tissues, example includes implants communications. However, RF communications contain interference and security challenges. In this study, we present a novel use of NIR light for wireless data transfer, for which a phantom is exposed to an externally modulated light source and the transmitted light through phantom is captured with a receiver. Initially, a high-resolution picture is successfully transmitted through skin phantom of 2 cm in depth. In the second phase, we successfully communicated through a human skull. Due to hardware limitations, we are able to achieve data rates in tens of kilobits per second. The minimum power applied to the phantoms measured during the data transmission from 810 nm light-emitting-diode (LED) is 0.098 W/cm2. The measured optical power values are within the safe limit set by ANSI.Z136.1—2007 standard on laser safety, which is 2 W/cm2 for 1 sec exposure of 830 nm wavelength. Initial results are encouraging and there are many possible applications for a system using light to transmit data wirelessly through biological tissues, including communication with brain implants and performing brain therapies.

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Series: Progress in biomedical optics and imaging
ISSN: 1605-7422
ISSN-E: 2410-9045
ISSN-L: 1605-7422
ISBN: 978-1-5106-3216-5
ISBN Print: 978-1-5106-3215-8
Article number: 1122615
DOI: 10.1117/12.2545221
OADOI: https://oadoi.org/10.1117/12.2545221
Host publication: Neural Imaging and Sensing 2020. 3-5 February, San Francisco, California, United States
Host publication editor: Luo, Qingming
Ding, Jun
Fu, Ling
Conference: SPIE Bios
Type of Publication: A4 Article in conference proceedings
Field of Science: 3112 Neurosciences
Subjects:
OWC
RF
Copyright information: © (2020) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only. Self-archived here with the kind permission by the publisher.