Everything About Li-Fi: The Future of Wireless Communication

Li-Fi stands for Light Fidelity and is a Visible Light Communications (VLC) system and that runs wireless communications that travel at very high speeds. In this article, we will explore Li-Fi and will know everything about future wireless communication technology.

Li-Fi:The Future Wireless Communication

The term Li-Fi was first introduced by Professor Harald Haas, University of Edinburgh during a TED Talk in the year 2011. The professor explained that light bulbs could act as wireless routers.

Subsequently, in 2012 after multiple years of research, Professor Harald Haas set up a company called pureLiFi with the aim ‘to be the world leader in VLC technology’. Here, VLC stands for Visible Light Communications.

How does Li-Fi Works?

Li-Fi and Wi-Fi are quite similar as they both transmit data electromagnetically. However, Wi-Fi uses radio waves, while Li-Fi runs on visible light waves.

With Li-Fi, the light blub essentially acts as a router. It uses common household LED light bulbs to enable data transfer, boosting speed of up to 224 gigabits per second (224 Gbps).

Li-Fi accommodates a photo-detector to receive light signals and a signal processing element to convert the data into streamable content.

An LED light bulb is a semiconductor light source meaning that the constant current of electricity supplied to an LED light bulb can be dipped and dimmed, up and down at extremely high speeds, without being visible to the human eye.

For example, data is fed into an LED light bulb with the help of signal processing technology, it then sends data at rapid speeds to the photo-detector.

The tiny changes in the rapid dimming of LED bulbs are then converted by the receiver into an electrical signal.

The signal is then converted back into a binary data stream that we would recognise as web, video and audio applications that run over internet-enabled devices.

Li-Fi vs Wi-Fi

While some may think that Li-Fi with its 224 gigabits per second leaves Wi-Fi far behind, Li-Fi’s exclusive use of visible light could halt a mass uptake.

However, Li-Fi signals cannot pass through walls, so to utilise full connectivity, capable LED bulbs will need to be placed throughout the home. As we know Li-Fi requires the light bulb to transmit data in order to provide connectivity, so the lights will need to be on during the daytime also.

Additionally, where there is a scarcity of light bulbs, there is a lack of Li-Fi speed. Li-Fi is on the back foot when it comes to public Wi-Fi networks.

In 2016, it was announced that an extension of standard Wi-Fi will be launched called Wi-Fi HaLow.

Li-Fi Pioneer Leaders

In November 2014, pureLiFi joined forces with French lighting company Lucibel to introduce Li-Fi-enabled products.

PureLiFi has a few products on the market: a Li-Fi ceiling unit to connect to an LED light fixture and Li-Fi-XC which is for connecting to a device via USB or as part of the hardware, providing about 43Mbps from each LiFi-enabled LED light.

In 2016, Li-Fi was being tested in Dubai, by UAE-based telecommunications provider Du and Zero1. The company claimed to have successfully provided internet, audio and video streaming over a Li-Fi communication.

In addition, some reports say that Apple may build future iPhones with Li-Fi capabilities.

Uses of Li-Fi

• Underwater Communications: Radio waves are quickly absorbed in water, and create obstructions in underwater radio communications. Since light can travel through water, Li-Fi based communications may offer greater communication.
• Home and Building Applications: In future, Li-Fi can be a proven communication technology for Home and Building applications.
• Aviation: Li-Fi can play a crucial role in the Aviation industry.
• Hospitals and Healthcare: Li-fi can be useful in many healthcare applications.
• Safety Environment: In some places, cell phones are prohibited due to high-risk explosive environments. Li-Fi will simplify data communication in such environments.
• Disaster Management: Li-Fi can be a powerful communication system in times of disaster such as earthquakes or hurricanes. Subway stations and tunnels, common dead zones for most emergency communications, may not create obstruction for Li-Fi.

So, whether or not Li-Fi will live up to its hype is yet to be decided. And let us wait for the future and see how revolutionary Lifi will prove to be for fast-growing technology in the future.