Magneto-inductive Communication and Localization: Fundamental Limits With Arbitrary Node Arrangements (Series in Wireless Communications, 22)

Utilizing magnetic induction for wireless communication, wireless powering, passive relaying, and localization could enable massive wireless sensor applications with tiny nodes in challenging media, foremost biomedical in-body sensor networks. This work investigates the performance limits of these unique wireless systems with hardly any assumptions. As a foundation, a general system model and an interface to communication theory are developed. A major part of this work identifies two crucial magneto-inductive fading channels: that between randomly oriented coils and that caused by a nearby swarm of resonant passive relay coils. The analysis yields important technological implications. Based thereon, an investigation of wirelessly-powered in-body sensors is conducted, revealing their active and passive data transmission capabilities. Finally, a treatise of magneto-inductive node localization develops algorithms that perform near identified accuracy limits in theory and practice.