LED Technology
Shining the light on connectivity through LiFi
By Musa Unmehopa, LiFi task force chair at HomeGrid Forum C
onnectivity demands are rising and the digital activities that people are using on their phones, laptops and other devices are becoming increasingly data and
bandwidth hungry. Activities such as video streaming and artificial reality often require a real-time or fast connection, but providing network connectivity using radio signals, such as through Wi-Fi, is struggling to keep up with the demand. Instead of using radio waves, light waves provide an opportunity to transform wireless communications using
G.hn technology to deliver reliable connectivity over the visible light, ultraviolet and infrared spectrums instead. With this part of the electromagnetic spectrum being more than 1000 times larger in terms of bandwidth compared to radio, the potential must be maximised.
Complementing Wi-Fi with LiFi Light Fidelity (LiFi) is a wireless communication technology that uses a light source to transmit data at high speeds over the visible light, ultraviolet and infrared spectrums. It provides network connectivity within the premises like Wi-Fi does, but uses light waves instead of radio waves. It works by modulating the light source, such as an LED or laser, in a certain pattern that is received by a light receptor, such as a photo diode, which is then de-modulated and turned into a communications signal. LiFi enables data to be transmitted between multiple connected devices over the light spectrum and provides low latency and high bandwidth. LiFi is often compared to Wi-Fi and the two are often seen as competitors, but LiFi can play a critical role in complementing, not replacing, Wi-Fi as the industry aims to meet the growing demand for ultra-fast connectivity.
There are certain situations and environments where LiFi is more suited than Wi-Fi and vice versa. Spectrum in the radio frequencies (RF) is incredibly busy and sought-after. It is also a scarce resource, as it only makes up a relatively small part of
16 May 2022
the overall electromagnetic spectrum. Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Bluetooth, 4G, 5G and now 6G, as well as military and health applications alongside others, are all operating in these RF frequencies. As a result, it is now highly regulated and crowded, making it difficult to gain access to this spectrum to deliver faster and higher bandwidth connectivity. RF is not an infinite resource – we need to look at alternative ways to deliver the connectivity that modern technology and applications require. Utilising the light spectrum is one way to do this. Not only does it offer more bandwidth compared to RF, it is unlicensed and unregulated too with plenty of available spectrum.
Boosting security and reducing interference Other than RF being crowded, it is also very susceptible to interference. If we think about Industry 4.0 and a factory floor with various robotic machinery and equipment that generates electromagnetic signals, these can interfere with RF and
Components in Electronics
cause issues. With LiFi, the light frequency is much less susceptible which results in minimal interference. Wi-Fi connectivity is known to be temperamental sometimes as some environments can reduce the signal strength, such as offices with a lot of steel and reinforced concrete infrastructure or window panes coated with UV blocking material. LiFi does not get affected in the same way, offering a strong and reliable signal for devices.
The transmission of light signals offers huge benefits in terms of security and reducing interference and interception. Radio signals are transmitted in all directions, which is great for some environments and use cases, but for others, this can be a big issue. If you don’t know where your RF signal goes, such as through walls, through floors or outside of buildings, it is much easier for a signal to be intercepted without you even knowing. With LiFi, the beam can be narrow and devices must be in the light source’s line of sight for signals to be successfully
transmitted. This means that if someone wants to intercept communications, they need to stand in the beam and be in the same room. The light signal will not go through walls, floors or doors, it will stay in the same room making it difficult for individuals outside to intercept communications. For government agencies, banking institutions, schools and even the boardroom in offices where security is a higher priority than the rest of the office space, LiFi offers a much higher degree of safe and secure transmission of data. Cyberattacks and security breaches are becoming more common, with The Identify Theft Resource Centre’s annual report showing that data breaches increased by 68 per cent last year. LiFi can provide an additional layer of physical security in environments where data needs to be kept confidential.
A
G.hn backbone
For LiFi to reach its full potential, it requires a robust, reliable and proven physical layer
www.cieonline.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62
