Li-Fi wireless technology will rock your socks off. Metaphorically, of course (heh).
Basically Li-Fi is an alternative wireless technology that scientists say can reach speeds of 1 GB per second in real-world use. And, earlier this year, scientists achieved speeds of 224 gigabits per second in the lab using Li-Fi. They’ve been testing Li-Fi in offices and industrial environments in Estonia, which is where they reported the data transmission of 1 GB per second.
We may soon be saying “Adios!” to Wi-Fi (well, maybe not so fast), as the new wireless tech is 100 times faster than the average Wi-Fi speed. Just imagine—you could download a high-definition movie in just a few seconds!
Harald Haas, the inventor of Li-Fi, demonstrated the potential for the technology back in 2011 by flickering a single LED to transmit data. Clearly it didn’t exactly take off at that point, but it may do just that soon.
So how does it work? Well, as its name suggests, Li-Fi transmits data using LED lights, which flicker on and off within nanoseconds. Li-Fi is based on light so its range is more limited than Wi-Fi, but because of that limit, Li-Fi is also a bit more secure than ordinary Wi-Fi.
Li-Fi could offer many possibilities for smart home appliances, as it serves two individual functions—lighting up a room and creates a home network in which devices can communicate.
But, did I mention one of the biggest potential issues—light needs to be on all the time to deliver connectivity. While that’s not such a huge issue in industrial and retail environments (aside from the cost), it’s definitely an issue in areas like ones home, and doesn’t bode well from an environmental standpoint.
Kits are now available to early adopters, so they can begin installing Li-Fi networks in the office and home. Although Li-Fi may never completely replace WiFi, as it’s fairly expensive comparatively, researchers hope some improvements may allow Li-Fi to at least exist in a smaller capacity.
Check out how it works below.
