Application of virtual mobile networking to real-time patient monitoring

We aim to merge the benefits of network mobility and virtualisation to provide a simple, mobile and secure method for providing mobile network (as opposed to mobile host) platforms. We demonstrate our approach by showing the use of a mobile network of sensors and wide area connectivity for maintaining and managing a Wireless Body Area Networks (WBAN) for healthcare. WBANs are a mature field of research, where the challenges and applications have been explored for quite some time. One of the most promising applications for WBANs is healthcare. Wireless sensors are used to monitor patient health statistics and activity. With the ubiquity of wireless mobile personal devices (such as smart phones), their increased CPU and power capability, the feasibility of using them to build mobile network platforms is increasingly possible. In this paper we describe our novel approach, which is to utilise, through virtualisation, an individual's smartphone not only as a mobile router that manages his personal mobile network, but also as a platform to host his WBAN.