CEA-LETI is one of the biggest applied research laboratories in Europe with a staff of 900 permanent workers and 400 internship, PhD and post doctoral students. Its main activities deal with microelectronics, micro-systems, sensors, chip design and wireless telecommunication systems.

CEA-Leti is working for several years on low power wireless solutions for short range communications. In particular, since 2001, we have studied and developed innovative architectures and chips in the wireless personal network area (WPAN) taking into account and contributing to emerging standards for these applications, namely IEEE 802.15.4 et 2.4 GHz and IEEE 802.15.4a UWB at 3-5 GHz. In this context, we have been thoroughly studying the UWB indoor propagation channel with measurements and models. Equally, different kinds of innovative UWB antennas have been developed to carefully study their possible impact on new system performances (Aubade, Bilbao, Pulsers II).
We have also been involved in MAC layer specification and design for UWB where energy efficiency and resource usage were key requirements due to spectrum scarcity and regulatory rules. In particular, an S-TDMA protocol dedicated to wireless sensor network including spatial resource reuse was proposed. It is based on the IEEE 802.15.4 MAC and is designed for the purpose of beacon enabled systems e.g. for star networks which are demanding for QoS.
The particular case of implant devices have been studied at CEA-Leti in the framework of the EPADIMD project dealing with radio subsystems for pacemakers or defibrillators. In particular, a 2.4GHz radio for implant and explant is being specified and designed. New multi-band Antenna structure is specifically co-design with innovative RF front-end in accordance with in/out propagation channel characteristics.

CEA-Leti is involved in several projects dealing with technologies which are useable for BANET:

• IST IP Pulsers II : we study, design and integrate UWB PHY and MAC for wireless sensor network applications with location and tracking. The work is inspired from the IEEE 802.15.4/4a standard in which we have been active
• IST IP Magnet Beyond : we study and develop the digital baseband subsystem of the UWB-FM technology which have been presented to the IEEE 802.15-BAN interest group as a potential radio technology for BAN
• IST IP e-Sense : we propose precise models for IEEE 802.15.4/4a PHY layers related to realistic implementations and channel models for innovative MAC layer and cross layer optimisations
• Eureka EPADIMD : in cooperation with ELA medical and Biotronik, we propose a 2.4 GHz ULP radio tailored to the pacemaker/defibrillators applications
• Eureka SWANS : we propose an ultra low power implementation of the IEEE 802.15.4 PHY suited for applications such than on body communications
• ANR SVP : in cooperation with the CITI laboratory, we propose protocol elements especially for network synchronisation
• ANR Aubade : we study novel miniature UWB antennas

• LCNA (Laboratoire Communications Numériques et Algorithmes) : Digital Communication Laboratory.

• LADESS (Antennes et Dispositifs Electroniques pour les applications Sans fil et Sans contact) : Antenna and discreet Front-end RF for Wireless and Contactless applications Laboratory.