Internet of Medical Things
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Title of the problem: The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) faces challenges such
as data security risks, interoperability issues, and real-time monitoring reliability.
Ensuring patient privacy, seamless device integration, and accurate data transmission
are critical problems that need to be addressed for effective healthcare solutions.
• Emergence of IoMT:
o IoMT is a rapidly growing field within IoT, gaining attention due to its wide
applicability in Smart Healthcare Systems (SHS).
o It plays a crucial role in improving accuracy, reliability, and productivity in
healthcare.
• Significance in Pandemic:
o Reduces the need for physical doctor visits, minimizing health risks.
o Enables continuous health monitoring and early precautionary measures.
• Enabling Technologies in SHS:
o Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) – For tracking and identification.
o Artificial Intelligence (AI) – For predictive analysis and decision-making.
o Blockchain – For secure and tamper-proof data management.
• Comparative Analysis of IoMT Architectures:
o Reviews different architectures proposed by researchers.
o Highlights their benefits and limitations.
• Health Domains of IoMT:
o Categorizes IoMT applications in different healthcare domains.
o Analyzes various sensors used, along with their advantages and
disadvantages.
• Protocol Design Challenges in IoMT:
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o Identifies key challenges in implementing an IoMT-based healthcare
system.
o Provides a comparative study of different data collection techniques to
ensure data accuracy.
• Energy Efficiency in AI-Based IoMT:
o Evaluates energy consumption, battery lifetime, power drain, network
throughput, etc.
o Compares energy efficiency algorithms based on various parameters like
packet loss and transmission rate.
• Accuracy & Efficiency Analysis:
o Provides correlation equations for accuracy and efficiency assessment in
IoMT healthcare.
o Graphical comparison of different data collection algorithms based on
accuracy and error rate.
o Graphical comparison of energy efficiency algorithms based on energy
consumption and packet loss.
• Reference Analysis:
o Graphical representation of references based on publication year and
publication avenue.
Introduction: The Internet of Things (IoT) deals with various interconnected computing
devices, machines, objects, humans, or animals with unique IDs and is capable of transferring
data within the network without human intervention [1]. It includes monitoring and controlling
systems that enable smart homes, for example, thermostats, heating, ventilation, and air
conditioning devices, including IoT. IoT can also be used in other domains like transportation,
healthcare, industrial automation, and energy response to natural and man-made disasters.
Various IoT applications in different domains are illustrated in Figure 1. Verma et al. [2]
proposed a data congestion monitoring system having a sharp area structure, where IoT helps
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in convincing the control of the leading body in traffic area via advanced systems. Fuqaha et
al. [3] presented the use of IoT for checking environmental conditions with the help of
disappointment figures, sullying control, and alarm trigger under crisis.
Major contributions of the research work are as follows:
• To analyze various IoMT architectures used in AI-based smart healthcare system
• To present a comparative analysis of various data collection techniques to
improve the accuracy of collected medical data
• To present a comprehensive analysis of various energy-efficient techniques to
optimize energy consumption by IoMT devices in SHS
• To explore various health domains of the IoMT framework along with their
application in the smart healthcare system, including the types of sensors used
for each domain
• To propose various research challenges that need to be considered while creating
an IoMT-based smart healthcare system
Literature review:
1. Introduction to IoMT
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Several studies highlight the rapid adoption of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) due
to its ability to enhance healthcare efficiency, remote monitoring, and patient outcomes.
Researchers emphasize IoMT’s role in real-time data collection, patient monitoring, and
automated diagnosis, reducing the burden on healthcare professionals.
2. IoMT Architectures and Frameworks
Various IoMT architectures have been proposed to integrate wearable sensors, cloud
computing, and edge computing for real-time patient monitoring.
Kumar et al. (2020) introduced a cloud-based IoMT architecture for efficient health data
storage and retrieval, ensuring seamless communication between IoMT devices and healthcare
providers.
Sharma et al. (2021) proposed a fog computing-based IoMT model, which enhances data
processing speed and reduces network congestion compared to traditional cloud models.
3. Key Technologies in IoMT
Several enabling technologies support IoMT implementation:
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID): Used for patient tracking and inventory management
in hospitals (Patil & Desai, 2019).
Artificial Intelligence (AI): Plays a crucial role in disease prediction, automated diagnosis, and
personalized treatment plans (Zhou et al., 2020).
Blockchain: Ensures security and privacy of patient data, preventing unauthorized access
(Singh et al., 2021).
5G and Edge Computing: Improve real-time IoMT applications by reducing latency and
enhancing data processing (Chen et al., 2022).
4. IoMT Sensors and Applications
Different types of sensors are used in healthcare:
Wearable Sensors: Used for tracking heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels (Gupta et
al., 2021).
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Implantable Sensors: Monitors chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disorders (Lee
& Kim, 2020).
Environmental Sensors: Detect temperature, humidity, and air quality in hospital settings (Ali
et al., 2019).
5. Security and Privacy Challenges in IoMT
Data Breaches: Unauthorized access to sensitive patient data is a growing concern (Ahmed et
al., 2020).
Interoperability Issues: Lack of standardization among IoMT devices creates communication
challenges .
Power Consumption: IoMT devices require low-energy solutions to ensure long-term
sustainability (Das et al., 2021).
6. Energy Efficiency in IoMT Networks
Researchers have explored energy-efficient AI models for IoMT to optimize power
consumption.
Graphical comparisons of various algorithms reveal that AI-driven IoMT networks
significantly improve energy efficiency.
7. Comparative Analysis of Data Collection Techniques
Supervised Machine Learning Algorithms: Provide high accuracy but require large datasets
(Kumar et al., 2020).
Unsupervised Learning Techniques: Useful for anomaly detection in patient data .
Blockchain-Based Data Collection: Ensures secure, tamper-proof data transmission .work at
UC Berkeley. Also presented are two notable smart dust applications completed in the
beginning stages of smart dust history.
Objectives:
1.To analyze the role of IoMT in modern healthcare systems
Understanding its impact on remote patient monitoring, automated diagnosis, and personalized
treatment.
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2.To study various enabling technologies used in IoMT
Evaluating the effectiveness of RFID, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, and Edge
Computing in enhancing healthcare efficiency.
3.To perform a comparative analysis of existing IoMT architectures
Examining different IoMT frameworks and models proposed by researchers to identify their
advantages and limitations.
4.To identify various healthcare applications of IoMT sensors
Analyzing the role of wearable, implantable, and environmental sensors in patient
monitoring and disease management.
5.To explore key security and privacy challenges in IoMT
Investigating issues related to data breaches, authentication, and interoperability in
IoMT-based healthcare networks.
6.To evaluate energy efficiency in AI-driven IoMT frameworks
Studying different power optimization techniques for battery longevity, network
throughput, and transmission efficiency.
7.To compare various data collection techniques in IoMT
Assessing machine learning algorithms, blockchain-based solutions, and traditional
data aggregation for accuracy and reliability.
METHODOLOGY:
This section gives the comparative and comprehensive analysis of work done by various
authors in IoMT-based Smart Healthcare systems regarding different IoMT architectures, data
collection techniques, their comparative analysis, and a comparison of various energy-efficient
algorithim
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IoMT Architectures
An IoMT-based smart healthcare system is a collection of various smart medical devices
connected within the network through the internet . An IoMT framework-based smart
healthcare is formed of various phases. Firstly, medical data will be collected from the
patient's body using smart sensors integrated within the smart wearable or implanted
devices that are connected together via BSN or WSN . Then, this data will be transferred
over the internet to the next component dealing with the prediction and analysis phase.
After receiving the medical data, analysis can be done using a proper AI-based data
transformation and interpretation technique . In case of serious problems, doctors or
other medical requirements can be approached with the help of smart AI-based
applications in smartphones . In nonserious cases, self-preventive measures can be
taken.
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explained that IoMT architecture mainly consists of 3 layers, which are as follows: the
application layer, perceptual layer, and network layer. They are demonstrated in Figure 4.
The bottom layer, i.e., the perceptual layer, deals with the collection of data from the
source and making important viewpoints from the collected data. Now, the perception
layer consists of 2 sublayers, i.e., the data access sublayer and data acquisition sublayer.
Perception from the collected data is the main task done by the data acquisition sublayer,
for which it utilizes various medical perception equipment and signals acquisition
equipment. Graphic code, RFID, GPRS, etc., can be considered the major signal
acquisition methods. The data access sublayer connects the collected data from the
data acquisition layer to the network layer through short-range data transfer techniques,
such as Bluetooth, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), ZigBee, etc.
The middle layer, i.e., the network layer, deals with providing various platform and
interface-related services and provides various data transmission techniques. This layer
is formed of 2 subsequent layers, namely, the service layer and the network transmission
layer. The network transmission sublayer uses mobile communication networks,
wireless sensor networks, internet, etc., for transmitting the data received from the
perception layer in a precise, consistent, real-time, and barrier-free way. However, the
service layer realizes the integration of various networks, information description
formats, data warehouses, etc. For such integrations, it provides open interface services
and various other platform-related services.
The application layer utilizes the information gathered from the network layer to manage
the medical record by means of various applications. This layer again consists of 2
sublayers, namely, the medical information decision-making application layer and the
medical information application layer. The medical information application layer
contains various health care equipment and other materials related to information for
maintaining patient information, such as inpatient, outpatient, medical treatment, etc.,
records, whereas the medical information decision-making application layer deals with
the analysis of various pieces of information, such as patients, disease, medication,
diagnosis, treatment, etc.
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Sun explained another three-tier architecture with medical server level, sensor level, and
personal server level. Sensor level contains various sensors and medical devices in the
form of a local network like a body sensor network (BSN) using low power wireless
technology (such as BLE, NFC, or RFID) to transfer data.
The personal server level has few personal servers that can internally process and store
from smart wearable devices (like a smartwatch) or off-body devices (like routers). It is
required in situations where either a network connection is lost or the user needs the
patient's data remotely. The last layer is the medical server layer, which consists of an
algorithm or program for early diagnosis, rehabilitation progress assessment, or
continuous patient monitoring (for example, MobiCare and BSN-Care [30]). The problem
stated here is security negligence.
Kumar proposed an end-to-end architecture named mHealth System that connects the
IoT smart sensors directly with SHS. This architecture contains three layers, i.e., the data
processing layer, data collection layer, and data storage layer. The bottom layer, i.e., the
data collection layer, consists of IoT devices that can sense and collect medical
parameters. The next layer, i.e., the data storage layer, stores medical data on wide-scale
and high-speed storage racks. The topmost layer, i.e., the data processing layer, involves
various techniques to analyze collected sensor data.
Abdulmohsin Hammood proposed the four-tier architecture of an Internet of Medical
Thing health-based model, where the first tier is the WBSN tier in which sensors like ECG
(Electrocardiography) are directly connected to the human body. Fetched data from
these sensors are transferred to the coordinator node via wireless 802.15.6 standard,
which is then transmitted to the next tier. Tier 2 is the Smart\Wireless technology
interface tier, where smart devices are utilized for data inspection and analysis and then
transfer this data to tier 3 either by smart devices or wireless communication
technologies. Tier 3 is the infrastructure internet tier that provides various
communication technologies. Tier 4 is the care-services tier, where the received data are
forwarded to the intelligent server (IS), where the data are stored, analyzed, and
forwarded for smart medical services.
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Here, we have seen 4 architectures for an IoMT-based smart healthcare system, where
most of them have three layers. The last architecture alone, proposed by Abdulmohsin
Hammood , has a four-tier architecture. Upon comparing all these architectures, we can
generalize that the bottom-most layer will have sensors in direct contact with the human
body. In the middle of the architecture, we need a few layers for the inception, storage,
and processing of data. The topmost layer will be used for providing services to the end-
users
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