Li-Fi IS A FUTURE OF INTERNET

Everyone of us heard about this phrase “Necessity is the mother of invention” but with the accidental invention of Wi-Fi as a “by product” signal of failed mini black hole detection research proves it otherwise. Today ‘John O'Sullivan’a scientist who invented this signal has never anticipated on what he did to help the mankind. Today, more than 60% of the internet traffic is transmitted through a Wi-Fi. Although it is not a secure form of communication, still it is considered as most accepted Wi-Fi Radio frequency signals.

In the age where we are not thinking that technology cannot go better any further, Professor Harald Haas introduced the term "Li-Fi" at 2011 TED Global Talk, where he assured the possibility to transmit high-speed internet signals with the every light built in our home. During his presentation, he even demonstrated it to the audience on how it works. He also said that these signal transmissions can be more secure, safer, cheaper and plenty full due to the availability of the light everywhere. Due to the high frequency of its signal, it can transfer data at more robust speed, more than it is known today. The possibilities are endless, in this article we will discuss about it in more details.

How This Technology Work?

Unlike Wi-Fi uses radio waves, Li-Fi runs on visible light. It uses ultraviolet, infrared and visible light as a medium of communication. Basically, it can be even become by using the simple commercial light-emitting diodes (LED). Li-Fi works in very similar way like the Wi-Fi works. The technology is named as Visible light communications (VLC) which transforms the works by switching the current to the LEDs off and on at a very high rate. The rate at which it will turn on and off is so high that it is not noticeable to the human eye. The LED has to be kept continuously ‘ON’ in order to transmit the signal. But if there is a desire to transmit the while it is ‘OFF’, there is a way to do that.

All you have to do is to dim the LED below human visibility while still emitting invisible light to carry data, because this technology works with invisible light frequency. The light waves are not strong enough to penetrate walls, which make its signals to remain in a much shorter range, but making it more secure from hacking from remote area away from the source. In order to get a signal on receiving device, it doesn’t have to be in the line of sight (except if you are out of the spectrum of LED), because light’s reflective nature can make it travel from one place to another easily. Imagine one day you can direct the signals to the devices by using mirrors connected in your home. LED light reflected off walls still has the ability to carry signals 70 Mbps.

Li-Fi Advantages

An internet signal transmission is still an issue in Airplane cabins during flight or in the hospital where electromagnetic signals can interfere with the operation of other sensitive equipment. With the introduction of Li-Fi, this issue can be addressed. It can also become a safe way of communication in nuclear power plants, where electromagnetic interference is dangerous. The Li-Fi signals can easily be sent to places where there is difficult to send signals, for examples, deep underground tunnel networks, remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV) in the deep sea (because light travel through water up to 1000 meters). The idea is also purposed for vehicles can communicate with one another through front and back headlights to increase road safety. Street lights and traffic signals could also provide information about current road situations.

Speed

Experiments and researches show that Li-Fi can achieve high-speed internet up to 224 Gbps in bi-directional connectivity just from your LED lightbulb. Theoretically, this speed is very high, but this speed is too high for our current technology to handle. The speed was achieved under lab conditions, but when it will come in the real life with will be much less, still in the real world, chances are that the standard speed will be in 1Gbps. However, this is still a very huge development of the current technology.

Security

According to the pureLiFi (the company whose co-founder is Professor Harald Haas). This technology is more secure than other existing wireless technologies because, light can be confined in any small area. Let’s say Li-Fi is our room, where there are doors and windows that can be shut. Light cannot travel from out of the non-reflective or walls, so the signals will remain inside the confinements away from any unauthorized use. The existing security protocols can be merged inside of these signals and can make it secure ten folds.

Availability

So far we know that this Li-Fi is a light based VLC system. Which only need light for its medium. Light is available everywhere, the non-visible light can be used in the Li-Fi is also available in the dark. So the opportunities are endless. It will also not be a surprise that internet service provider companies like Charted Spectrum, AT&T, Verizon etc. will change their medium of internet and use Li-Fi in future. Sun is a mega source of light which can further become an object of study if this technology rollout now.

Commercialization

This technology is still in the stage of experimentations, but most of the experiments so far are successful. It will not be a surprise if suddenly, in just next few months it will be in our use. Several organizations are already researching and developing commercial applications of this technology.

PureLiFi company is co-founded by professor Harald Haas and Mostafa Afghani. World's first LiFi dongle at Mobile World Congress in 2016 is already introduced. US based company VLNComm has already developed Li-Fi products like LumiNex the world first lighting panel, VLNComm's Li-Fi USB adapter and LumiStick 2 is used to connect electronic devices to Li-Fi networks. Zero.1, in Dubai, uses urban LED street lighting for communications infrastructure and they are considering to add this technology. Other tech giants like Qualcomm, Panasonic, Philips lights, Samsung Electronics are among the larger corporations who are entertaining this technology and already working on this technology.

About the Author:

I am working as senior editor & report's Analyst. Currently, I am working with Spectrum cable which is in ceiling business of cable, internet and phone. I have strong knowledge of business intelligence, management. I am active, appreciated on several forums, blogs. I can convince readers through the creative skills. If you want to know more about us, follow me on angelicadowson2.