Challenges of ambient WiFi backscatter systems in healthcare applications

Abstract

In healthcare, patients commonly use medical devices that require batteries and wired connections, and do not have timely access to monitoring data. Ambient WiFi backscatter systems are attracting attention in healthcare owing to their ultra-low power consumption, wireless communication method, battery-free mode, and the ability for continuous monitoring. However, there is a lack of investigations on it. In this paper, we focus on discovering ambient WiFi backscatter systems’ applications in healthcare. Therefore, in this paper, we provide a comprehensive survey of ambient WiFi backscatter in healthcare. Firstly, we present some existing ambient WiFi backscatter systems to help us better understand the operating principle, and then classify them based on the use of commercial WiFi receivers. After that, we survey their latest applications and discuss the challenges in healthcare, starting from two general directions: smart hospitals and medical devices. Finally, we foresee the development of ambient WiFi backscatter technology and expand it in other fields. The research aims to receive a comprehensive understanding of the applications and challenges of ambient WiFi backscatter systems in healthcare, and thus promoting their further development.