Li-Fi

Li -Fi (English light fidelity ) is a 2011 from the embossed at the University of Edinburgh working German researcher Harald Haas term for a method of optical data transmission over short distances (English Visible Light Communications, VLC) and an optical equivalent of the radio technology implemented wireless.

History and status of research

In October 2011, the four founding members, the Norwegian Ibsen Telecom, the Israeli-American Supreme Architecture, TriLumina (USA) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems on the formation of a Li -Fi Consortium agreed to apply this standard.

By turning on and off specific light emitting diodes ( LEDs) can be achieved for the optical proximity communication high data transfer rates: 2013 10 Gigabit per second have been achieved in the laboratory. Act as a receiver photodiode in which a conversion of the optical signals into electric signals is carried out.

Oledcomm introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show before 2014 the first Li -Fi -enabled mobile phone.

Pros and Cons

Compared to the radio transmission is through the optical transmission greater bandwidth available, which on the same space theoretically allows a higher number of data channels. Moreover, this transmission method can also be used in areas where radio signals due to the electromagnetic compatibility can be problematic, such as in airplanes or hospitals.

In contrast to radio systems, only one data transmission directly to view is possible with optical transmission rule, and a data transfer through walls not pass possible. Therefore, one or more fixed receiving and transmitting station is required in a building for each room.