Abstract k.vamsi & k.

jagadeesh
In an age where information is being considered as the blood of this
century, the very idea of transmitting such data or information to someone very specific
sends these cold waves all around our body. With so many hackers and other anti-social
elements spread all around the world, secure data transmission is considered to be a myth
these days. With the recent technological advancements success has been achieved to an
extent in tackling the above stated issue. One such solution to this issue is the RED
TACTON devices which are going to make their mark very soon. And when they are out
all the problems related to secure, efficient, reliable, hi speed data transmission will be
solved. Yes they are going to be solved!!
RED TACTON: An innovative Human Area Networking technology that
uses the surface of the human body as a transmission path - Communication through
natural human actions: touching, holding, and walking.
Using RED TACTON, communication starts when terminals carried by
the user or embedded in devices are linked in various combinations according to the user's
natural, physical movements .Communication is possible using any body surfaces, such as
the hands, fingers, arms, feet, face, legs or torso. RED TACTON works through shoes and
clothing as well.
The paper here discuss about REDTACTON, and its working states, and
unleashes the various applications that are possible through these small devices which can
literally rest anywhere on the body or any dielectric medium for that matter. With a wide
range of applications starting from personalization, conferencing system, security
applications and many more and we will compare REDTACTON with the other technology for
data transmission, RED TACTON technology is a giant leap in the field of HUMAN
AREA NETWORKING.
k.jagadeesh & k.vamsi . students of abdul kalam institution of technological and
sciences
mobile num:8019575956
email id :vamsi333888@gmail.com

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 Content

1. Introduction
2. Basic Principles of Operation
3. RedTacton transceiver
4. Human safety
5. Features of Red Tacton
6. Wireless Technology
7. Application Fields
8. Prototype
9. Comparison with other human technology
10. Comparison between other human methods
11. Pros and Cons
12. Conclusion
13. Bibliography

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1. Introduction:
Today people can communicate anytime,
anywhere, and with anyone over a cellular phone network.
Moreover, the Internet lets people download immense
quantities of data from remotely located servers to their
home computers. Essentially, these two technologies enable
communications between terminals located at a distance
from each other. Meanwhile, all kinds of electronic devices
including personal digital assistants (PDAs), pocket video
games, and digital cameras are becoming smaller, so people
can carry around or even wear various personal information
and communication appliances during their everyday
activities. However, user-friendly ubiquitous services
involve more than just networking between remotely located
terminals.
Wired connections between electronic devices in
human area networks are cumbersome and can easily
become entangled. Short-range wireless communication
systems such as Bluetooth and wireless local area networks
(IEEE 802.11b, etc.) have some problems. Throughput is
reduced by packet collisions in crowded spaces such as
meeting rooms and auditoriums filled with people and
communication is not secure because signals can be
intercepted. The principle drawback of infrared
communications (IrDA) is the tight directionality of beams
between terminals needed for the system to be effective.
The ultimate human area network solution to all
these constraints of conventional technologies is “intrabody”
communication, in which the human body serves as the
transmission medium. In ubiquitous services (which imply

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 communication between electronic devices embedded in the
environment in close proximity to people), if we could use
the human body itself as a transmission medium, then this
would be an ideal way of implementing human area
networks because it would solve at a stroke all the problems
including throughput reduction, low security, and high
network setup costs. The concept of intrabody
communication, which uses the minute electric field
propagated by the human body to transmit information, was
first proposed by IBM.
The communication mechanism has subsequently
been evaluated and reported by several research groups
around the world. However, all those reported technologies
had two limitations:

1) The operating range through the body was limited to a

few tens of centimeters.
2) The top communication speed was only 40 kbits/s. These
limitations arise from the use of an electrical sensor for the
receiver. An electrical sensor requires two lines (a signal line
and a ground line), whereas in intrabody communication
there is essentially only one
signal line, i.e., the body itself, which leads to an unbalanced
transmission line, so the signal is not transmitted correctly.
Red Tacton is a new Human Area Network
technology that uses the surface of the human body as a
safe ,high speed network transmission path .The name
“TACTON “ means touch and action. The color RED signifies
warm and cordial communications.
Red tacton enables the first practical human
area network between body centered electronic devices and

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PC’s or other network devices embedded in the environment
via a new generation of user interface based on totally
natural human actions such as touching ,holding, walking
,sitting or stepping on a particular spot.
Red Tacton is a new Human Area Networking technology. It
uses the surface of the human body as a safe, high speed
network transmission path. RedTacton uses the minute
electric field emitted on the surface of the human body.

Technically, it is completely distinct from wireless and

infrared.

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2. Basic Principles of Operation:
NTT has had excellent success with an
electro-optic sensor combining an electro optic crystal with
laser light and recently reported an application of this sensor
for measuring high-frequency electronic device.
The electro-optic sensor has three key features:
(1) It can measure electric fields from a device under test
without contacting it, which minimizes measurement
disturbance.
(2) Ultra wide-band measurement is possible.
(3) It supports one-point contact measurement that is
independent of the ground, which is the most significant
feature in the present context.
NTT utilized this third feature to fabricate an intrabody
communication receiver for its human area networking
technology, which is called Red Tacton.

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 Principle of Red
Tacton

Red Tacton does not rely on

electromagnetic or light waves to transmit data.. It makes
use of weak electric fields on the surface of the body.. The
transmitter sends data by inducing fluctuations in the minute
electric field on the surface of the human body. Data is
received using a photonic electric field sensor that combines
an electro-optic crystal and a laser light to detect fluctuations
in the minute electric field. The Red Tacton receiver senses
changes in the weak electric field on the surface of the body
caused by the transmitter.

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Mechanism of Communication
The transmitter sends data by inducing fluctuations in the
minute electric field on the surface of the human body. Data
is received using a photonic electric field sensor that
combines an electro-optic crystal and a laser light to detect
fluctuations in the minute electric field.

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3. Red Tacton-transceiver:

RedTacton transceiver

Figure shows a photograph of the RedTacton

transceiver connected to a PDA and a block diagram of the
Red-Tacton transceiver developed by NTT. The transmitter
consists of a transmitter circuit that induces electric fields
toward the body and a data sense circuit, which distinguishes
transmitting and receiving modes by detecting both
transmission and reception data and outputs control signals

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corresponding to the two modes to enable two-way
communication. We implemented a receive-first half-duplex
communication scheme that sends only after checking to
make sure that there is no data to receive in order to avoid
packet collisions between terminals in compliance with the
IEEE 802.3 protocol. The receiver consists of an electro-
optic sensor and a detector circuit that amplifies the minute
incoming signal from the electro optic sensor and converts it
to electrical signal. We conducted a series of trials in which
data was sent through human bodies using RedTacton
transceivers. The experimental setup for intrabody
communication assuming communication between two
electronic devices (PDAs) is shown in Fig. 3. We prepared
two sets of RedTacton transceivers, each connected to a
PDA. The subject held one transmitting/ receiving electrode
in each hand. We quantitatively measured the bit error rates
of signals sent through the body. The results showed that the
system had no significant practical problems at a
transmission speed of 10 Mbit/s. Besides communication
between two hands, we also demonstrated reliable
communication between a foot and finger and between other
locations on the person’s body. We also verified that good
communication was achieved not only when the electrodes
were in direct contact with the person’s skin, but also when
the signals passed through clothing and shoes.

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4. Human safety:

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 Fig 3. Experimental setup for intrabody
communication.

We investigated the effects of RedTacton technology on

human health, which is obviously an important issue. First,
as shown in Fig. 3, the transmitting and receiving electrodes
of the RedTacton transceiver are completely covered with
insulating film, so the body of the person acting as the
transmission medium is completely insulated. This makes it
impossible for current to flow into a person’s body from the
transceiver. When communication occurs, displacement
current is generated by the electrons in the body because the
body is subjected to minute electrical fields. However, such
displacement currents are very common, everyday
occurrences to which we are all subjected.

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RedTacton conforms to the “Radio Frequency-Exposure
Protection Standard (RCR STD-38)” issued by the
Association of Radio Industries and Businesses (ARIB). The
levels produced by RedTacton are well below the safety
limit specified by this standard.

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 5. Features of Red Tacton:
Red Tacton has three main features .These are
as follows:

Touch:
Communication with just a touch or a step. A
communication path can be created with a simple touch,
automatically initiating the flow of data between a body
centric electronic device and a computer that is embedded in

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the environment. for example ,two people equipped with Red
Tacton devices could exchange data just by shaking hands .a
wide range of natural human actions- grasping, sitting
down ,walking or standing in a particular place – can be used
to trigger Red Tacton to start a networked process.

OR

Media:
Red Tacton can utilize a wide range of
materials as a transmission medium, as long as the material
is conductive and dielectric, which includes water and other
liquids, various metals, certain plastics, glass, etc. using
ordinary structures such as tables and walls that are familiar
and readily available, one could easily construct a
communication environment at very low cost using Red
Tacton.

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 Broadband and Interactive:
Duple, interactive communication is
possible at a maximum speed of 10Mbps.Becausethe
transmission path is on the surface of the body, transmission
speed does not deteriorate in congested areas where many

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people are communicating at the same time. Communication
is not just confined to the surface of the body, but can travel
through the user’s clothing to a Red Tacton device in a
pocket or through shoes to communicate with a Red Tacton
device embedded in the floor.

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6. Wireless Technology?
Why bother with Red Tacton when Bluetooth can
already do the job wireless?
With Bluetooth it is difficult to rein in the signal and restrict theft
to the device you are trying to connect to. You usually want to
communicate with one particular thing, but in a busy place there
could be thousands of Bluetooth devices within range.
Besides, humans apparently make poor aerials,
something which is good for security because even if you encrypt
data it is still possible that it could be decode in short –
NO SAFETY WHAT SO EVER. .In this our whole body is the
perfect conductor for electronic data, meaning that information
such as music, films and files could be downloaded in seconds via
our body. The key component of the Red Tacton is an electric-

field sensor implemented with electro-optic crystal and laser light.

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Here, the human body acts as a transmission medium supporting
IEEE 802.3 half-duplex communication at 10Mbit/s. Microsoft
has obtained patent in these lines by a “method and apparatus for
transmitting power and data using human body”. But NTT’S
system is more practical because it does not require for the sensors
to come in direct contact with the skin

7. Application Fields:
The various application fields are:
1. One to one Services
2. Intuitive Operation
3. Personalization
4. New Behavior Patterns
5. Security Applications
6. Communication in new Domains

One to One Services:

When a consumer stands in front of an advertising
panel, advertising and information matching his or her
attributes is automatically displayed.
- By touching or standing in front of items they are interested
in, consumers can get more in-depth information.
- Brochures only of products of interest to the visitor can be
downloaded automatically at trade shows.
- Inside a shop, shoppers can view related information on
their mobile terminals immediately after touching a product.

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Intuitive Operation:
By shaking hands, personal profile data can be
exchanged between mobile terminals on the users.
(Electronic exchange of business cards)
- Communication can be kept private using authentication
and encryption technologies.
- Group photos taken with digital cameras are instantly
transferred to individual's mobile terminal.
- Diagrams written on white boards during meetings are
transferred to individual's mobile terminals on the spot.

Congestion Free Broadband:

Duplex, interactive communication is possible at a
maximum speed of 10Mbps

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Because the transmission path is on the surface of the body,
transmission speed does not deteriorate in congested areas
where many people are communicating at the same time.
Maximum communication speed may be slower than
10Mbps depending on the usage environment

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Security Appliances:
Automatic user authentication and log-in with
just a touch is possible as ID and privileges are recorded in a
mobile RedTacton device and corresponding RedTacton
receivers are installed at security check points.
The system can provide authentication and record
who touched the device, and when confidential data
management becomes easier with a RedTacton receiver in a
cabinet where important documents are stored enables lock
administration and keeps a record of who accessed
documents at what time.

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25
Communication in New Domains:
Potential for use as communication method in
outer space and under water

Potential for use as communication method

with devices inside the human body. This would be a boon to
people suffering with diseases which requires implants
that exists even today.

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8. Prototype:

NTT has made three types of prototypes

Communicationspeed:10Mbps

Protocols : TCP/IP

Communication method :Half-duplex

Interface: PCMCIA

Communicationspeed:10Mbps

Protocols :TCP/IP

Communication method : Half-duplex

Interface: RJ45

(under constructions)

 Using yourself as a PC peripheral / interface has

obvious advantages, but could there perhaps be a
disadvantage.

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 9. Comparison with other human
technology:

RedTacton surpasses other human area networks in terms of

communication performance and user convenience.
E:Excellent
P: Poor

Wireless Infrared
Standard Red
Close- Contact Passive
Wireless data Tacton
Evaluation criteria range less IC wireless
LAN communi-
wireless cards ID tag
cation
Transfer speed
(Can DVD-quality
E P P P P E
images
be sent?)
Performance
deterioration
during periods of
congestion P P E E E E
(Simultaneous use by
many
people in small spaces)
Duplex data transfer
E E E P E E
(Interactive processing)
Data configuration at
initiation of
communications E E P P E E
(Registration of ID
profiles, etc)
Tasks required at time of
each communication
E E P E P E
(Adjustment of contacts
and optical axis)
Synchronization with P
user behavior 28
P E E P E
(Specification of
user positioning)
10. Comparison between other human
methods:
"Intra-body communication" using the human
body as a transmission medium has been reported, but the
electric field/photonics method employed by RedTacton is
superior to conventional methods in terms of communication
distance, speed, and interactivity.
P:Possible
N:Notpossible
P*: Possible under certain conditions

Duplex communication

Signal & Between

Distance & Between mobile Contact status with
Detection Ground line
speed mobile terminals and the electrode
system
terminals external
equipment
The electrode must be
Clear signal Elbow to
in constant contact
Amperage lines needed fingertip at
N P* with the body to
electric for body and approx.
maintain good
earth ground 3kbps
conductivity
Capacity
Wrist to Communication
coupling
Voltage fingertip at possible even when
between the P* P*
electric approx. passing through thin
earth ground
1kbps insulators
and equipment

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 Capacity
Anywhere
Electric field coupling Communication
on the body
photonics between the P P possible even through
at up to
(RedTacton) earth ground shoes and clothing
10Mbps
and equipment
11. Pros and Cons:
They can transfer information automatically and be
stimulated by totally intuitive
interactions such as touching, grabbing or holding.
HANs could potentially do such Sci-Fi like things as
make computers that
recognize users by touch. The technology has myriad
potential uses in such areas as
security.
RedTacton transceiver electrodes are covered with
an insulating film, so there is
no way can that current from RedTacton flow into the
user's body.
Potential advantages include:
-As communication is triggered by natural human
actions, there is no need to
insert smart cards, connect cables, and tune
frequencies
-Setup, registration, and configuration information
for a user can all be

uploaded to a device the instant the device is

touched, eliminating the need

for the device to be registered or configured in

advance.

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 -Tables, walls, floors and chairs can act as
conductors and dielectrics, turning

furniture and other architectural elements into a

new class of transmission

medium.

-The system could be installed on any locations

calling for secure access, such

that each secure access could be initiated and

authenticated with a simple

touch.

12. Conclusion:
--With the advent of RedTacton technology, the
dream of human area network will be realized where
communication is just a touch away and thus the very
definition of “human communication” will be changed
--Soon human area networks will replace many
networks and kick start a new communication revolution as
products having chips with Red Tacton technology
imbedded in them are hitting the commercials markets next
year.

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 --As any other technology, even Red Tacton has
social and ethical questions attached to it and strict laws need
to be framed so that the technology cannot be misused by
anti social elements.
-- We have developed a transceiver that uses the
human body as a data transmission medium based on an
electric-field sensor that uses an electro-optic crystal and
laser light. Using this transceiver, we succeeded in achieving
10BASE communication in accordance with IEEE 802.3
through a human body from one hand to the other hand.
While our immediate objective is to implement a RedTacton
system supporting two-way intrabody Communication at a
rate of 10 Mbits/s between any two points on the body, our
longer-term plans include developing a mass-market
transceiver interface supporting PDAs and notebook
computers while continuing efforts to reduce the size and
power consumption of the transceiver to enhance its
portability.
--Red tacton has a wide range of unique new
functional features and enormous potential as a human area
networking technology. Considering the possibilities offered
by this technology, it’s possible that in a few years time, we
will be able to download a ring tone for our mobile phone
simply by touching an advertising panel in the street and do
much more just by the power of touching things, thanks to
Red Tacton Technology.
--NTT is committed to using its comprehensive
commercialization functions to push this research out to the
marketplace as quickly as possible while moving ahead with
tests and trials in collaboration with commercial partners as
necessary.

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13. Bibliography:

www.redtacton.com
www.technorati.com/tqags/redtacton
www.redtacton.com/en/info/index.html
www.redtacton.com/en/features/index.html
www.redtacton.com/en/field/index.html
www.redtacton.com/en/tech/index.html

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