Li-Fi: Research Team Develops Fastest Wireless Using LEDs

By David Tobia
October 5, 2012

University of Edinburgh researchers have developed a wireless networking system capable of transmitting 130 megabits per second using light waves.
The researchers call their project “Li-Fi” and use “LEDs to transmit data to photo-sensor receivers by making changes in the intensity of light that researchers claim are so fast they are imperceptible to the human eye,” reports Ars Technica.
The goal of the system is to use existing light sources to transfer data. This would greatly impact the mobile industry, where the technology could be integrated into the phone’s camera. This would allow for fast download speeds using natural light sources.
Li-Fi has advantages “including its broader potential spectrum for transmissions — over 10,000 times more spectrum than radio — allowing for thousands of signal channels in the same space, as well as its greater transmission speed as a result,” notes the article.
The system also has the advantage of only working within a particular line of sight. This would allow for secure networking within a closed room environment.
The post includes a 13-minute TED video featuring a Li-Fi demo from Harald Haas, University of Edinburgh’s professor of mobile communications.

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