@inproceedings{94765c2746124a59b7118813e598fba4,
title = "Wireless data transfer through biological tissues using near-infrared light: Testing skull and skin phantoms",
abstract = "Light in the range of 700-1100 nm has many proven diagnostics and therapeutic medical applications. In this study, we demonstrate another potential application of light. We implemented a testbed to transmit data wirele{\ss}ly through a human skull and biological phantoms mimicking skin ti{\ss}ues properties using near-infrared (NIR) light. Currently, radio frequency (RF) is widely used to transmit data wirele{\ss}ly through biological ti{\ss}ues, example includes implants communications. However, RF communications contain interference and security challenges. In this study, we present a novel use of NIR light for wirele{\ss} data transfer, for which a phantom is exposed to an externally modulated light source and the transmitted light through phantom is captured with a receiver. Initially, a high-resolution picture is succe{\ss}fully transmitted through skin phantom of 2 cm in depth. In the second phase, we succe{\ss}fully communicated through a human skull. Due to hardware limitations, we are able to achieve data rates in tens of kilobits per second. The minimum power applied to the phantoms measured during the data transmi{\ss}ion from 810 nm light-emitting-diode (LED) is 0.098 W/cm2. The measured optical power values are within the safe limit set by ANSI.Z136.1-2007 standard on laser safety, which is 2 W/cm2 for 1 sec exposure of 830 nm wavelength. Initial results are encouraging and there are many po{\ss}ible applications for a system using light to transmit data wirele{\ss}ly through biological ti{\ss}ues, including communication with brain implants and performing brain therapies.",
keywords = "Bio ti{\ss}ues, MICS, Near-infrared, OWC, RF",
author = "Iqrar Ahmed and Alexander Bykov and Alexey Popov and Igor Meglinski and Marcos Katz",
year = "2020",
month = jan,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1117/12.2545221",
language = "English",
isbn = "978-1-5106-3215-8",
series = "Progress in Biomedical Optics and Imaging",
publisher = "International Society for Optics and Photonics SPIE",
number = "16",
editor = "Qingming Luo and Jun Ding and Ling Fu",
booktitle = "Neural Imaging and Sensing 2020",
address = "United States",
note = "Neural Imaging and Sensing 2020 ; Conference date: 03-02-2020 Through 05-02-2020",
}