Lifi Technology

In News 

• The Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) has become the first-of-its-kind institute in the Union Territory to have an internet connection using Light Fidelity (LiFi) technology.
  • The faculties and students would get faster and safer internet connections over the existing electric power lines for various educational purposes.

What is Light Fidelity (LiFi) Technology?

• It is a bidirectional fully networked wireless communication technology that uses visible light rather than radio frequencies. as a medium to carry data. 
  • An improvised LED bulb functions as a router
• It can offer greater security, data rates and densities to support more robust and reliable wireless networks that complement and enhance existing cellular and Wi-Fi networks.
  • It provides ultra-fast data connections, and are especially useful in urban areas where radio spectra are congested and also very useful in rural areas wherein Fiber Optic Cables or networks are not reachable.
• Nav Wireless Technologies is the only registered company in the LiFi sector in Asia. 

How does Li-Fi work?

• An ordinary off-the-shelf LED bulb is connected to a device, which in turn is connected to the Internet.
• The Internet data flows in via the device into the bulb and is carried by light waves.
• At the other end, light waves carrying the Internet data falls on a receiver or a dongle that is connected to the computer.

                             Image Courtesy: Researchgate

Benefits of Li-Fi

• The visible light spectrum is available in plenty, unlicensed and free to use
• The double benefit of a bulb giving us light as well as internet access
• Low interference leads to very high data speed
• Li-Fi works underwater as well
• LED illumination is already efficient and data transmission needs very little additional power.
• It can achieve about 1,000 times the data density of Wi-Fi since light can be contained in an area

Issues 

• Li-Fi would be difficult to operate in harsh weather conditions or harsh lighting conditions. 
• LiFi requires specialized LEDs to work flawlessly. 
• Might Not Work During Night
• Requires Additional Devices

Conclusion 

• Almost all of these limitations can be overcome, as scientists and engineers over the world are researching the domain continually at a steady pace.
• LiFi can become a great communication method 

Source: TH