Li-Fi
Light Fidelity (Li-Fi) is a bidirectional, high-speed and fully networked wireless communication technology similar to Wi-Fi. The term was coined by Harald Haas and is a form of visible light communication and a subset of optical wireless communications (OWC) and could be a complement to RF communication (Wi-Fi or cellular networks), or even a replacement in contexts of data broadcasting.Technology details
This OWC technology uses light from light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as a medium to deliver networked, mobile, high-speed communication in a similar manner to Wi-Fi.The Li-Fi market is projected to have a compound annual growth rate of 82% from 2013 to 2018 and to be worth over $6 billion per year by 2018.Visible light communications (VLC) works by switching the current to the LEDs off and on at a very high rate, too quick to be noticed by the human eye. Although Li-Fi LEDs would have to be kept on to transmit data, they could be dimmed to below human visibility while still emitting enough light to carry data. The light waves cannot penetrate walls which makes a much shorter range, though more secure from hacking, relative to Wi-Fi. Direct line of sight is not necessary for Li-Fi to transmit a signal; light reflected off the walls can achieve 70 Mbit/s.
Li-Fi has the advantage of being useful in electromagnetic sensitive areas such as in aircraft cabins, hospitals and nuclear power plants without causing electromagnetic interference. Both Wi-Fi and
Li-Fi transmit data over the electromagnetic spectrum, but whereas Wi-Fi utilizes radio waves, Li-Fi uses visible light. While the US Federal Communications Commission has warned of a potential spectrum crisis because Wi-Fi is close to full capacity, Li-Fi has almost no limitations on capacity. The visible light spectrum is 10,000 times larger than the entire radio frequency spectrum Researchers have reached data rates of over 224 Gbit/s, which is much faster than typical fast broadband in 2013. Li-Fi is expected to be ten times cheaper than Wi-Fi Short range, low reliability and high installation costs are the potential downsides.
Bg-Fi is a Li-Fi system consisting of an application for a mobile device, and a simple consumer product, like an IoT (Internet of Things) device, with color sensor, microcontroller, and embedded software. Light from the mobile device display communicates to the color sensor on the consumer product, which converts the light into digital information. Light emitting diodes enable the consumer product to communicate synchronously with the mobile device.
History
Harald Haas, coined the term "Li-Fi" at his TED Global Talk where he introduced the idea of "Wireless data from every light".[He is Chairman of Mobile Communications at the University of Edinburgh and co-founder of pureLiFi.The general term visible light communication (VLC), whose history dates back to the 1880s, includes any use of the visible light portion of the electromagnetic spectrum to transmit information. The D-Light project at Edinburgh's Institute for Digital Communications was funded from January 2010 to January 2012. Haas promoted this technology in his 2011 TED Global talk and helped start a company to market it. PureLiFi, formerly pureVLC, is an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) firm set up to commercialize Li-Fi products for integration with existing LED-lighting systems.
In October 2011, companies and industry groups formed the Li-Fi Consortium, to promote high-speed optical wireless systems and to overcome the limited amount of radio-based wireless spectrum available by exploiting a completely different part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
A number of companies offer uni-directional VLC products, which is not the same as Li-Fi - a term defined by the IEEE 802.15.7r1 standardization committee.
VLC technology was exhibited in 2012 using Li-Fi. By August 2013, data rates of over 1.6 Gbit/s were demonstrated over a single color LED. In September 2013, a press release said that Li-Fi, or VLC systems in general, do not require line-of-sight conditions In October 2013, it was reported Chinese manufacturers were working on Li-Fi development kits.
In April 2014, the Russian company Stins Coman announced the development of a Li-Fi wireless local network called BeamCaster. Their current module transfers data at 1.25 gigabytes per second but they foresee boosting speeds up to 5 GB/second in the near future. In 2014 a new record was established by Sisoft (a Mexican company) that was able to transfer data at speeds of up to 10 Gbit/s across a light spectrum emitted by LED lamps.
Recent integrated CMOS optical receivers for Li-Fi systems are implemented with avalanche photodiodes (APDs) which has a low sensitivity. [33] In July 2015, IEEE has operated the APD in Geiger-mode as a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) to increase the efficiency of energy-usage and makes the receiver more sensitive. [34] Also this operation could be performed as quantum-limited sensitivity that makes receivers detect weak signals from far distance.
Commercialization
There are some startup companies around the world working on LiFi
technology. Visible Light Communication (VLC) is another term that is
sometimes used for this technology. Here is the list of companies
developing LiFi technology:
- PureLiFi is the main company in this field. They are developing LiFi luminaries with a French company named Lucibel.
- The main startup company in US working on this technology is VLNComm. They have been funded by US Department of Energy and National Science Foundation.
- OLEDComm is a French company working on LiFi. They have some products for indoor positioning.
- LightPointe is a manufacturer of point-to-point Gigabit Ethernet Free Space Optics and Hybrid Optical-Radio Bridges, has recently started working on VLC.
- i2cat, located in Barcelona, Spain is also working on location based system using visible light communication.
- ByteLight which is recently acquired by the LED manufacturer Acuty Brands is developing location based services.
- Nakagawa Lab in Japan
- Basic6
- Velmenni
- Zero1
- Axrtek
Applications
Security
In contrast to radio frequency waves used by Wi-Fi, lights cannot penetrate through walls and doors. In a meeting or living room condition, with some prevention on transparent materials, like curtains on window, the access of a Li-Fi channel is constrained in that room.Underwater Application
Most remotely underwater operated vehicles (ROVs) use cables to transmit command, but the length of cables then limits the area ROVs can detect. However, as light wave could travel through water, Li-Fi could be implemented on vehicles to receive and send back signals.Hospital
Many treatments now involve multiple individuals, Li-Fi system could be a better system to transmit communication about the information of patients. Besides providing a higher speed, light waves also have little effect on medical instruments and human bodies.Vehicles
Vehicles could communicate with one another via front and back lights to increase road safety. Also street lamps and traffic signals could also provide information about current road situations.
The future of Li-Fi
pureLiFi already have two products on the market: Li-Flame Ceiling Unit to connect to an LED light fixture and Li-Flame Desktop Unit which connects to a device via USB, both aiming to provide light and connectivity in one device.Plus, with faster connectivity and data transmission it’s an interesting space for businesses. The integration of internet of things devices and Li-Fi will provide a wealth of opportunities for retailers and other businesses alike. For example, shop owners could transmit data to multiple customers' phones quickly, securely and remotely.
Li-Fi is reportedly being tested in Dubai, by UAE-based telecommunications provider, du and Zero1. Du claims to have successfully provided internet, audio and video streaming over a Li-Fi connection.
What's more, reports suggest that Apple may build future iPhones with Li-Fi capabilities. A Twitter user found that within its iOS 9.1 code there were references to Li-Fi written as 'LiFiCapability' hinting that Apple may integrate Li-fi with iPhones in the future.
Lets see how the Li-Fi plays out in the nearest future if it would live up to its hype.....
Readers feel free to comment on how soon you can get easy access to the technology in your country
