Some of you might have heard about Li-Fi, the latest emerging wireless technology. Li-Fi is Basically a very high speed, fully networked, cheaper, secure wireless technology similar to Wi-Fi. It uses visible light, infra-red or near ultraviolet spectrum to send and receive data. It is 100 times faster as compared to Wi-fi.
Li-Fi technology can transmit data and unlock capacity which is 10,000 times greater than that available within the radio spectrum. This optical wireless communications uses light from LEDs as a medium to deliver networked, mobile, high-speed communication in a similar manner to Wi-Fi.
Advantages of Li-Fi
1. Faster – Speed of upto 10Gbps have been demonstrated in lab.
2. Cheaper – It is cheaper as it can use the modified LED bulbs.
3. Safer – It is safe and secure as it is available only where light is visible.
4. Higher Capacity – It uses visible light, infrared and near ultraviolet
5. Easy to implement – It uses the existing LED technology so its simpler to implement.
6. EMI sensitive environment – LiFi is particularly helpful in electromagnetic sensitive area like in an aircraft deck.
Applications of Li-Fi
1. Security – In meeting rooms, each user will have 1000 times greater speeds and that too secured within the walls of meeting room.
2. Dense urban environment – This lighting infrastructure can provide always available high data rate access for users as they move through that environment.
3. Cellular communication – In external urban environments, the use of Li-Fi enabled street lamps would provide a network of internet access points.
4. EMI sensitive environments – On aircraft, Li-Fi enabled lighting will allow high data rate connectivity for each passenger, without any electromagnetic interference.
5. Underwater communication – Radio waves are quickly absorbed in water, preventing underwater radio communications, but light can penetrate for large distances. Therefore, Li-Fi can enable communication from diver to diver, diver to mini-sub, diver to drilling rig, etc.
6. Safety environments – In explosion hazard environments, the use of electrical equipment, including mobile phones, is generally greatly restricted. The use of Li-Fi to pass data will simplify the configuration of data networks in such environments, and can enable new systems to enhance security in these environments.
7. Intelligent transportation systems – Car headlights and tail lights are steadily being replaced with LED versions. This offers the prospect of car-to-car communication over Li-Fi, allowing development of anti-collision systems and exchange of information on driving conditions between vehicles.
8. Sensitive data – Hospitals are a specific case of an environment where both EMI sensitivity and security of data are issues. Li-Fi can enable the better deployment of secure networked medical instruments, patient records, etc.
Herald Hass is the name behind this technology. You can see him demonstrating the technology in the above video. Using off-the-shelf LEDs and solar cells, Harald Haas and his team have pioneered a new technology that transmits data using light, and it may just be the key to bridging the digital divide. This could bring a revolution by providing internet to more than 4 billions of people where the infrastructure can’t support. He and his team has developed a technology that can communicate as well as illuminate.