Wireless Body Sensor Networks : A Review of Energy-Saving Techniques and Security Challenges

Abstract

There are many technologies used in monitoring patients and providing healthcare to them. One of the most important systems that have been used is wireless body sensor networks. These networks collect a set of physiological data related to the body and then process it. However, this type of network faces many problems, one of which is the small size of this type of network, which leads to energy consumption. Therefore, this type of problem leads to short battery life of the sensor node. Therefore, this type of paper has been studied for the purpose of analysing or providing current improvements in energy efficiency. Energy is also consumed when security is provided in because this type of processor requires consuming a large amount of energy. Therefore, this paper was presented, which covered research from 2019 to 2024. This research focused on providing key solutions to solve the energy problem, as well as the energy-saving protocols used, the hybrid methods that were used, and the machine learning processes that were used to improve energy methodologies and also provide security. For the network, the results revealed during this type of studies that the network lifetime was improved by 60 to 70% using hybrid algorithms, while routing algorithms based on energy consumption processes that are based on groups have a consumption rate of 30 to 50% compared to standard methods. In addition, there are security features that play a fundamental role in this type of network, such as the use of encryption and simple authentication procedures, which played an important role in achieving a balance between energy consumption and data protection. These references or the results obtained and the comparison of research among them are considered a reference for practitioners who seek to improve security and energy consumption in wireless sensor networks.