The CENELEC TS 50701 is the first encompassing standard aiming at governing cybersecurity risk management processes within the railway industry. Although the technical maturity of this framework is undeniable, its application in practical projects is still an active field of discussion among practitioners, especially when dealing the communication-heavy subsystems. Among such subsystems, signaling is among the most critical ones. Both Communication-based Train Control (CBTC) and European Railway Traffic Management Systems (ERTMS) heavily rely on wireless communications for their operation. This paper describes two cybersecurity attack scenarios regarding wireless communications for CBTCs that can impact the safety of these systems using the lens of the framework provided by the novel CENELEC TS 50701. In doing so, we discuss the implications of using such guidance, especially concerning the different interpretations found in the literature regarding zoning communication systems, to assess and mitigate the cybersecurity risk and improve the posture of CBTC systems concerning the examined attacks. Experimental tests conducted in controlled laboratory environments and high fidelity simulations have been conducted to support the cybersecurity analysis.

This paper presents comprehensive study on fat as propagation medium in abdominal implant communication system at low ultrawideband (UWB) frequency range 3.75-4.25 GHz. The main aim is to investigate how signal propagates through visceral and subcutaneous fat layers and how that information can be exploited in implant communication systems. The study is conducted using different methods: electromagnetic simulations, power flow analysis, propagation path calculations and radio channel measurements with animal meat pieces. Simulations are conducted using layer models and anatomical voxel models having different sizes. Results of channel simulations are verified with propagation path calculations. Power flow analysis on cross-cuts of the voxel models is conducted to investigate how the signal propagates inside the tissues. Furthermore, measurements using different animal meat pieces are performed to evaluate the impact of fat constitution on channel characteristics. It is found that similar tendency on fat propagation is seen in the evaluations with different methods. It is also observed that channel attenuation depends not only on the types and thicknesses of the tissues between transmitter and receiver antennas, but also how the tissues, especially fat, is located between the antennas. Channel attenuation difference between different voxels is maximum 14 dB in the studied antenna locations. Furthermore, propagation channel is evaluated with measurements using pork meat having different fat and muscle constitutions. It is found that antenna location respect to fat layers has clear impact on the channel strength although the fat tissue is not directly above the in-body antenna. The difference is noted to be 3-15 dB especially on the side peaks of channel impulse response. The knowledge on fat as a propagation medium is crucial when designing medical monitoring or implant communication systems. Location of antennas/sensor nodes for the monitoring devices can be established so that propagation through fat layer can be exploited.

Emerging healthcare radio technologies are designed to operate in the 2:4GHz industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) band. Since both standardized (Bluetooth and Wi-Fi) and non-standardized (proprietary) devices use the same frequency band, the aggregate interference may significantly affect the performance of medical wireless systems. This paper characterizes the spatiotemporal spectrum occupancy and proposes models for the aggregate interference in hospital environments. In particular, time–frequency and cluster-based statistical models for the aggregate interference are developed based on network experimentation. The proposed models enable the design of wireless networks for e-health applications and medical services.

This paper presents a comprehensive study of radio channels related to capsule endoscopy communications in ultra wideband wireless body area networks (UWB-WBAN) utilizing multiple antenna systems. The research includes 363 channel realizations, obtained through simulations using an anatomically realistic voxel model and a capsule model. A capsule position is modelled in such a way that it moves throughout the entire intestinal tract. The study examines the frequency and time domain characteristics of the channels in various capsule locations, including the most challenging positions deep inside the tissues or far away from most of the antennas. Additionally, the propagation characteristics inside the abdominal tissue are studied by calculating the most obvious propagation paths based on power flow illustrations and reflecting the results with the channel impulse response analysis. The impact of capsule rotation is also studied. It is shown how small changes in capsule location can greatly impact on the channel characteristics if the thickness of the tissues between the capsule and the on-body antenna changes significantly. The paper concludes with statistical analysis of the channel data, including path loss and root mean square (RMS) delay spread. The results provide valuable insight into how the signal propagates inside different parts of the gastrointestinal tract. They show that channel attenuation remains moderate along most of the gastrointestinal tract, and that even the deepest locations in the small intestine area can be resolved with the use of directional on-body antennas and receivers with higher sensitivity.

Hybrid Wireless Body Area Networks (HyWBANs) hold significant promise for advancing in-body communication systems in healthcare. In this work, we propose a novel dual-modality framework that integrates Ultra Wideband (UWB) radio communications with Near-Infrared (NIR) optical wireless communication to enhance the performance of Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs). UWB provides reliable deep-tissue connectivity, while NIR offers a low-power solution for shallow-layer data exchange under Line-of-Sight (LOS) conditions. We present extensive measurement campaigns using biological tissues and synthetic phantoms to characterize the performance of each modality independently, thereby establishing a comprehensive baseline for future integration. Our experimental results, which we have validated by using a propagation model, aim to provide the academic community with accurate data on which to build hybrid systems with increased communication reliability and adaptability under controlled conditions. Moreover, we discuss potential applications and outline decision criteria for dynamic mode selection based on real-time service requirements and environmental factors. This study lays the baseline for future research to develop a unified hybrid system that can adaptively optimize performance to meet the evolving demands of innovative healthcare.