Internet transmitted through lightbulbs? It could be a thing very soon.
Russell NobleRussell is the Media Administrator for the Avant Garde Esports organisation, and also writes for Techly.com.au. He's often caught tweeting too much at @russelljnobleBlog
A brand new data transmission has had its first real-world test, and results show it is one hundred times faster than wi-fi.
Named ‘Li-Fi’, data is transmitted through VLC or ‘visible light communication. Testers have brought the technology out to offices in Estonia, where they were able to reach 1 gigabyte per second (approx. 1000 megabytes per second).
Under perfect conditions in a laboratory, scientists measured Li-Fi speeds at up to 224 gigabits per second (approx. 28000 megabytes per second). The technology uses visible light at 400 to 800 terahertz.
Invented by Harald Haas from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland in 2011, he showed that a single LED could flicker it’s light and send signals via light patterns, much light a form of data transmissive morse code.
In 2001, Haas put forward the idea of data transmitting lightbulbs in from of a TED talk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaoSp4NpkGg
Deepak Solanki, CEO of Velmenni, said, “We are doing a few pilot projects within different industries where we can utilise the VLC technology.”
One particular benefit of this technology is that because it works on light technology and not radio waves, that it is more difficult to interrupt. Notes included that tests have not shown the results if a person were to physically block the VLC light, if it can be used in low-light situations, or if desks and devices would need a direct Line of Sight for Li-Fi to even be effective.
The diagram below shows how Li-Fi technology could work in a traditional office space.
Another worry was that flickering lights would be intensive on the eyes, but it was assured that the lights flicker so fast that it cannot be distinguished by the naked eye.
It was also noted that Li-Fi could be used as a more secure network, as simple things such as walls and physical barriers could prevent hackers and such from packet sniffing and data stealing.
It’s yet to be known whether it would be feasible to rip existing Wi-Fi infrastructure out and replace it with this new Li-Fi alternative, but the current idea is not a complete replacement of the Wi-Fi infrastructure. Instead, Li-Fi will work in tandem with Wi-Fi, which would mean almost complete structure coverage, as well as the benefit of the high speed Li-Fi technology.
Harald Haas and his team have already begun producing a plug-and-play Li-Fi under the company title ‘PureLiFi’, which offers 11.5 megabytes per second, while Oledcomm, a French company, is reportedly installing Li-Fi technology in various places such as local hospitals.