Development of key generation algorithm using ECG biometrics for node security in wireless body area sensor network

Abstract

This paper investigates security and inter-node transmission energy for biosensors in a wireless body area sensor network (WBASN) system. Existing security solutions in WBASN have been observed to employ the pre-deployment of static authentication keys, which are unsecured and energy intensive. Electrocardiogram (ECG) biometric-based security scheme was developed using the peak location index (PLI) and inter-pulse-interval (IPI) of the heart beat. The fast Fourier transform method was used to process individually selected ECG datasets of diabetic patients and the differential equation method was used to extract the ECG biometric features (PLI and IPI). Energy model of Chipcon CC2420 specification was used to evaluate inter-node energy consumption performance. The research results showed that different PLI and IPI features were extracted from the ECG datasets and unpredictable authentication keys were generated. Node energy consumption performance evaluation showed a 25% reduction in ∗ Corresponding author. energy consumption for successful inter-node transmission. The ECG feature keys generated were different and unpredictable at every instant, providing for inter-node communication security. Non-additional node energy for processing the authentication acknowledgment packets provided for inter-node energy consumption reduction. The developed algorithm has provided for secured inter-node communication with a 25% energy efficiency in node transmission energy consumption for a WBASN system.