Only a decade or so ago, having a Bluetooth headset connected to your mobile phone made you stand out from the crowd. Now, newer and evolving technologies are making the interconnection of mobile electronic devices ubiquitous. We’ve all heard of local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs). Gratton introduces readers to the latest networking acronym, personal area networks (PANs), and provides a guide to the plethora of new and evolving technologies in short-range wireless networking.

Part 1 is an introduction to the concept of PANs and the technologies used to support them. Chapter 1 focuses on the principles of operation and, in particular, the interaction of people with these technologies. In chapter 2, the author further explains wireless technologies and standards such as IEEE 802.15. Wireless PAN (WPAN) technologies such as Bluetooth and ZigBee are introduced, and examples of wireless-enabled products are given. The social impact of disruptive technologies, such as ubiquitous wireless connectivity, is discussed in chapter 3.

Chapter 4 introduces what Gratton calls the lawnmower man effect (LME), a reference to Brett Leonard’s 1992 film The Lawnmower Man. LME refers to the ability of people to become permanently interconnected wirelessly with electronic devices and the Internet. The possibilities that this connectivity presents are discussed, with examples of home entertainment networks, personal devices for bicycles and motor vehicles, and social networks.

Part 2 covers a variety of low-energy and wireless sensor technologies. Chapter 5 introduces low-power wireless devices and takes a short segue into the energy efficiency and data optimization techniques necessary to make these devices practical. In chapter 6, the author expands on the concept of the Internet of Things (IoT), a fully networked world of electronic sensors and devices. The next four chapters cover a selection of WPAN technologies, looking in detail at the architectures, protocol stacks, and frequencies used. Chapter 7 focuses on the latest Bluetooth low-energy (BLE) technology; classic and high-speed Bluetooth are covered in chapter 14. ZigBee, an implementation of the IEEE 802.15.4 standard used in home, building, healthcare, and retail automation, is explained in chapter 8. Chapter 9 covers EnOcean’s unique self-powered wireless sensor technology, Dolphin, and chapter 10 completes Part 2 with details of products from ANT wireless used for audio control; bicycle, vehicle, and blood pressure sensors; and fitness equipment.

In Part 3, existing well-known wireless technologies that Gratton refers to as “classic” are reviewed. Chapter 11 provides an overview of these classic technologies and then, as in Part 2, the remaining chapters examine several of these technologies in detail. Chapter 12 explores near field communication (NFC), commonly used in contactless payment cards, and compares it with the older radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. Chapter 13 looks at the now ubiquitous Wi-Fi technology, which was first introduced in 1997 and is specified by the IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN (WLAN) standard. Although not strictly a PAN, Wi-Fi is nonetheless important for the connection of PANs into wider networks.

Chapter 14 covers classic and high-speed Bluetooth technologies, and chapter 15 examines the wireless home digital interface (WHDI), which offers connectivity for interoperable multimedia devices from consumer electronics companies in the consortium. WHDI is compared with the cable-based high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), wireless HD, the Wireless Gigabit Alliance (WiGig), and other alternatives for video and audio content delivery.

Part 4 presents conclusions and Gratton’s vision of potential futures. Chapter 16 discusses emerging technologies such as IEEE 802.11ac, wireless universal serial bus (USB), and WiGig, and chapter 17 provides a short summary and brief glance at future trends.

The book includes a thorough index and table of contents, a good list of references, and a glossary of acronyms. The chapters are well illustrated with diagrams and figures. The majority of diagrams support the text well; however, a few seem like unnecessary distractions more akin to what you might find in a PowerPoint presentation. This small issue aside, the text is very readable and covers an interesting and topical subject. There are a number of other books on wireless PANs, but most seem to focus on specific subsets of technologies. In contrast, Gratton gives a broad coverage of PAN technologies. The book is an easily readable introduction for those unfamiliar with PAN technologies. In addition, the various chapters devoted to specific PAN protocols go into a good level of technical detail, which, combined with the thorough index, also make it useful as a reference.