“HUMAN AREA NETWORK”

Human society is entering an era of

ubiquitous computing, when networks are seamlessly
interconnected and information is always accessible at our
fingertips. In the world of computers, networking is the
practice of linking two or more computing devices together
for the purpose of sharing data. RedTacton enables the first
practical Human Area Network between body-centered
electronic devices and PCs or other network devices
embedded in the environment via a new generation of user
interface based on totally natural human actions such as
touching, holding, sitting, walking, or stepping on a particular
spot. By making Human Area Networks feasible, RedTacton
will enable ubiquitous services based on humancentered
interactions and therefore more intimate and easier for
people to use. RedTacton can be used for intuitive operation
of computer-based systems in daily life,temporary one-to-
one private networks based on personal handshaking, device
personalization, security, and a host of other applications
based on new behavior patterns enabled by RedTacton. At
last we predicted how Redtacton changes lifestyle in future.

At the end of 2002 the Japanese telecommunications group NTT had

announced that it would develop a new data transmission technology
that uses the conductive properties of the human body to exchange
information between electronic devices. With RedTacton the company
has now scarcely two and a half years later presented its first prototype
of a Human Area Network (HAN). Japanese company Nippon Telegraph
and Telephone Corporation (NTT) claims to have developed the first
viable Human Area Network (HAN) device, enabling fast data transfer
between devices using the human body as a conduit. Human society is
entering an era of ubiquitous computing, where everything is networked.
The practical implementation of ubiquitous 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 WiFi 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

HAN is a new technology which uses human

body as transmission media. It gives us safe and high speed
network transmission. It uses small electric fields on the
surface of the body as a transmission medium. It 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. Communication is
possible using any body surfaces, such as the hands, fingers,
arms, feet, face, legs or toes. In addition to the human body,
various conductors and dielectrics can be used as
transmission media. Data transfer is faster and easier
through this technology.
 A communication environment can be created easily and
at low-cost by using items close at hand, such as desks,
walls, and metal objects.

A communications path can be

created with a simple touch, automatically initiating the flow
of data between a body-centric electronic device and a
computer that is embedded in the environment. For
example, two people equipped with RedTacton devices could
exchange data just by shaking hands. A wide range of
natural human actions grasping, sitting down, walking, or
standing in a particular place can be used to trigger
RedTacton to start a networked process.

Communication is triggered by totally natural human actions

and behavior, 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 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.
 -By shaking hands,
personal profile data
can be exchanged
between mobile
terminals on the
users. (Electronic
exchange of business
cards)

-Communication can be kept

private using authentication and
encryption technologies.

 Advantages over Bluetooth and RFID

Here the technology is clearly advantageous
over Bluetooth and RFID in the following factors –

(1) The Traffic and Network congestion does not occur here
and it decreases with increase in number of users joining
the network. It highly supports interactive processing.
(2) It greatly reduces the power consumption and cost of
transmission media under usage.

(3) The data transfer rates are very impressive and it ranges
to maximum of 10 Megabits per second.

(4) It turns our body into a swipe card which can be applied
in security purposes.

(5) It can be applied for security purposes in a variety of

domains. In this technology there is no problem of hackers
as our body is itself a media .Potential for use as
communication method in outer space and under water.
Potential for use as communication method with devices
inside the human body
Applications:-
In this section we highlight three distinctive features of RedTacton which
form base for some applications.

1) A transmission path isformed automatically by body contact and this

initi-ates communication between electronic devices. A
device can be started, information can be obtained, orvarious
services can be triggered by a wide range ofnatural human actions
such as grasping, sitting down,walking, or standing in a particular
place.

2) RedTacto n supports two-way exchange oflarge amounts of data

between portable electronicdevices. In contrast to conventional
wireless systems,RedTactonprovides an independent transmission
path for each individual person (that is, for each con-ductor) even in
congested places, so it provides verysecure, fast communication
without any interference.

3) Almost anything that acts as a conductor—ahuman or animal body,

water, metal, etc.—can serveas aRedTacton transmission path.
Thismeans that there is no need for a dedicated cable or antenna.

RedTactonsystem supporting two-way intrabody communication at a

rate of 10 Mbit/s between any two points on the body, our longer-term
plans include developing a mass-market transceiver interface sup-
porting PDAs and notebook computers while continuing efforts to reduce
the size and power consump- tion of the transceiver to enhance its
portability. NTT is committed to using its comprehensive commercial-
ization functions to push this research out to the market place as quickly
as possible while moving ahead with tests and trials in collaboration with
commercial partners as necessary

Some representative applications of RedTacton are shown in Figure

  Security applications
User verification and lock management at entrances

Carrying a mobile RedTacton-capable device in

one's pocket, ID is verified and the door unlocked when the
user holds the doorknob normally. Secure lock
administration is possible by combining personal verification
tools such as fingerprint ID or other biometric in the mobile
terminal.
Automatic access log for confidential document storage.

A RedTacton receiver in a cabinet where important

documents are stored enables lock administration and
keeps a record of who accessed documents at what time.

 Hardware Requirements:-

Redtacton device

Conclusion

The applications of RedTacton are enormous, medical security and data

transfer are just the start. Conferencing can be enabled without the use
of wiring, and walls and desks and doorknobs can be conduits for data
transfer. In education the applications are endless from lesson outlines
to administrative forms data could be transfered quickly and easily
without pedagogical intervention. This technology seems to be a glimpse
into the future. At first it will be limited in use and fairly expensive, but as
it becomes more widespread we could see the extinction of the key and
ID card as we know them today. Imagine walking up to your house,
reaching for a doorknob which automatically unlocks the door, and
walking right in. No more fumbling around for keys. That is a future we
would like to live in.