What is Li-Fi?
Li-Fi or “Light Fidelity” is a communication system by visible light(Visible Light Communications – VLC) which can perform wireless data transmissions at very high speeds.
Li-Fi uses LED lights as information transmitters with speeds that can reach 225 gigabits per second, according to laboratory tests.
The term “Li-Fi” was created by the University of Edinburgh professor and co-founder of pure LiFi, Harald Haas, during TED Talk in 2011.
Professor Haas, considered the “father of Li-Fi” at that time, envisioned a near future where LED bulbs would function similarly to current wireless routers.
How Li-Fi Works
Like Wi-Fi, Li-Fi also works from the concept of electromagnetic data transmission. However, while Wi-Fi uses radio waves, the Li-Fi works only through visible light.
Since Li-Fi is based on the visible light communication system (VLC), it means that the devices must have a photodetector to receive the signal from the light to be able to receive the information transmitted by the light, in executable data.
To transmit the data, the LED lamp makes small swings of light in nanoseconds (which are imperceptible to the human eye), causing device receivers to interpret these subtle variations of light as signals.
However, for now, the Li-Fi technology has some obstacles and disadvantages compared to Wi-Fi.
For example, the Li-Fi signal can not be transmitted through the walls, which would be a hindrance in a residence. In order to function, the room lights should always be on even during the day.
But, Li-Fi is also seen as a great contribution to the “boom” of the so-called “Internet of things”. With data transferred at much higher levels, there would be the ability to connect many more devices to each other.
What’s more, due to its short range, the Li-Fi connection becomes quite secure against hacking, for example.
Another advantage of Li-Fi is that it does not interfere with other systems, such as Wi-Fi waves, for example. Thus, this technology would be free to be explored in aircraft, nuclear power plants and other places that could not receive access to the Internet by radio waves.