Li-Fi (Light Fidelity)

The future technology In Wireless communication

ABSTRACT
Whether youre using wireless internet in a coffee shop, stealing it from the guy next door, or
competing for bandwidth at a conference, you have probably gotten frustrated at the slow
speeds you face when more than one device is tapped into the network. As more and more
people and their many devices access wireless internet, clogged airwaves are going to make
it. One germen phycist.Harald Haas has come up with a solution he calls data through
illumination taking the fibber out of fiber optic by sending data through an LED light bulb
that varies in intensity faster than the human eye can follow. Its the same idea band behind
infrared remote controls but far more powerful. Haas says his invention, which he calls
DLIGHT, can produce data rates faster than 10 megabits persecond, which is speedier than
your average broadband connection. He envisions a future where data for laptops, smart
phones, and tablets is transmitted through the light in aroom. And security would be snap if
you cant see the light, you cant access the data.
Li-Fi is a VLC, visible light communication, technology developed by a team of scientists
including Dr Gordon Povey, Prof. Harald Haas and Dr Mostafa Afgani at the University of
Edinburgh. The term Li-Fi was coined by Prof. Haas when he amazed people by streaming
high-definition video from a standard LED lamp, at TED Global in July 2011. Li-Fi is now
part of the Visible Light Communications (VLC) PAN IEEE 802.15.7 standard. Li-Fi is
typically implemented using white LED light bulbs. These devices are normally used for
illumination by applying a constant current through the LED. However, by fast and subtle
variations of the current, the optical output can be made to vary at extremely high speeds.
Unseen by the human eye, this variation is used to carry high-speed data, says Dr Povey, ,
Product Manager of the University of Edinburgh's Li-Fi Program D-Light Project.

INTRODUCTION
LiFi is transmission of data through illumination by taking the fiber out of fiber optics
by sending data through a LED light bulb that varies in intensity faster than the human eye
can follow.Li-Fi is the term some have used to label the fast and cheap wireless
communication system, which is the optical version of Wi-Fi. The term was first used in this
context by Harald Haas in his TED Global talk on Visible Light Communication. At the
heart of this technology is a new generation of high brightness light-emitting diodes, says
Harald Haas from the University of Edinburgh, UK,Very simply, if the LED is on, you
transmit a digital 1, if its off you transmit a 0,Haas says, They can be switched on and off
very quickly, which gives nice opportunities for transmitted data.It is possible to encode data
in the light by varying the rate at which the LEDs flicker on and off to give different strings
of 1s and 0s.The LED intensity is modulated so rapidly that human eye cannot notice, so the
output appears constant. More sophisticated techniques could dramatically increase VLC data
rate. Terms at the University of Oxford and the University of Edingburgh are focusing on
parallel data transmission using array of LEDs, where each LED transmits a different data
stream. Other group are using mixtures of red,green and blue LEDs to alter the light
frequency encoding a different data channel.Li-Fi, as it has been dubbed, has already
achieved blisteringly high speed in the lab. Researchers at the Heinrich Hertz Institute in
Berlin,Germany, have reached data rates of over 500 megabytes per second using a standard
white-light LED. The technology was demonstrated at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show
in Las Vegas using a pair ofCasio smart phones to exchange data using light of varying
intensity given off from their screens, detectable at a distance of up to ten metres.
Light is inherently safe and can be used in places where radio frequency communication is
often deemed problematic, such as in aircraft cabins or hospitals. So visible light
communication not only has the potential to solve the problem of lack of spectrum space, but
can also enable novel application. The visible light spectrum is unused; it's not regulated, and
can be used for communication at very high speeds.

Fig.1 Li-Fi environment

In October 2011 a number of companies and industry groups formed the Li-Fi Consortium, to
promote high-speed optical wireless systems and to overcome the limited amount of
radiobased wireless spectrum available by exploiting a completely different part of the
electromagnetic spectrum. The consortium believes it is possible to achieve more than 10
Gbps, theoretically allowing a high-definition film to be downloaded in 30 seconds.

WORKING TECHNOLOGY
This brilliant idea was first showcased by Harald Haas from University of Edinburgh, UK, in
his TED Global talk on VLC. He explained, Very simple, if the LED is on, you transmit a
digital 1, if its off you transmit a 0. The LEDs can be switched on and off very quickly,
which gives nice opportunities for transmitting data. So what you require at all are some
LEDs and a controller that code data into those LEDs. We have to just vary the rate at which
the LEDs flicker depending upon the data we want to encode. Further enhancements can be
made in this method, like using an array of LEDs for parallel data transmission, or using
mixtures of red, green and blue LEDs to alter the lights frequency with each frequency
encoding a different data channel. Such advancements promise a theoretical speed of 10 Gbps
meaning you can download a full high-definition film in just 30 seconds. Simply awesome!
But blazingly fast data rates and depleting bandwidths worldwide are not the only reasons
that give this technology an upper hand. Since Li-Fi uses just the light, it can be used safely
in aircrafts and hospitals that are prone to interference from radio waves. This can even
workunderwater where Wi-Fi fails completely, thereby throwing open endless opportunities
for military operations.
Imagine only needing to hover under a street lamp to get public internet access, or
downloading a movie from the lamp on your desk. There's a new technology on the block
which could, quite literally as well as metaphorically, 'throw light on' how to meet the everincreasing demand for high-speed wireless connectivity. Radio waves are replaced by light
waves in a new method of data transmission which is being called Li-Fi.Light-emitting
diodes can be switched on and off faster than the human eye can detect, causing the light
source to appear to be on continuously. A flickering light can be incredibly annoying, but has
turned out to have its upside, being precisely what makes it possible to use light for wireless
data transmission. Light-emitting diodes (commonly referred to as LEDs and found in traffic
and street lights, car brake lights, remote control units and countless other applications) can
be switched on and off faster than the human eye can detect, causing the light source to
appear to be on continuously, even though it is in fact 'flickering'. This invisible on-off
activity enables a kind of data transmission using binary codes: switching on an LED is a
logical '1', switching it off is a logical '0'. Information cantherefore be encoded in the light by
varying the rate at which the LEDs flicker on and off to give different strings of 1s and 0s.

Visible light communication (VLC)-A potential solutionto the global

wireless spectrum shortage
LiFi (Light Fidelity) is a fast and cheap optical version of Wi-Fi, the technology of
which is based on Visible Light Communication (VLC).VLC is a data communication
medium, which uses visible light between 400 THz (780 nm) and 800 THz (375 nm) as
optical carrier for data transmission and illumination. It uses fast pulses of light to transmit
information wirelessly. The main components of this communication system are 1) a high
brightness white LED, Which acts as a communication source and 2) a silicon photodiode
which shows good response to visible wavelength region serving as the receiving element?
LED can be switched on and off to generate digital strings of 1s and 0s. Data can be encoded
in the light to generate a new data stream by varying the flickering rate of the LED. To be
clearer, by modulating the LED light with the data signal, the LED illumination can be used
as a communication source. As the flickering rate is sofast, the LED output appears constant
to the human eye. A data rate of greater than 100 Mbps is possible by using high speed LEDs
with appropriate multiplexing techniques. VLC. data rate can be increased by parallel data
transmission using LED arrays where each LED transmits a different data stream. There are
reasons to prefer LED as the light source in VLC while a lot of other illumination devices
like fluorescent lamp, incandescent bulb etc. are available.

Fig 2.Data transmission using LED

COMPARISION BETWEEN Li-Fi & Wi-Fi

LI-FI is a term of one used to describe visible light communication technology
applied to high speed wireless communication. It acquired this name due to the similarity to
WI-FI, only using light instead of radio.WI-FI is great for general wireless coverage within
buildings, and li-fi is ideal for high density wireless data coverage in confined area and for
relieving radio interference issues, so the two technologies can be considered complimentary.

Table 1.Comparison between current and future wireless technology

The table also contains the current wireless technologies that can be used for transferring data
between devices today, i.e. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and IrDA.Only Wi-Fi currently offers very high
data rates. The IEEE 802.11.n in most implementations provides up to 150Mbit/s (in theory
the standard can go to 600Mbit/s) although in practice you receive considerably less than this.
Note that one out of three of these is an optical technology.

How it is different?
Li-Fi technology is based on LEDs for the transfer of data. The transfer of the data
can be with the help of all kinds of light, no matter the part of the spectrum that they belong.
That is, the light can belong to the invisible, ultraviolet or the visible part of the spectrum.
Also, the speed of the internet is incredibly high and you can download movies, games, music
etc in just a few minutes with the help of this technology. Also, the technology removes
limitations that have been put on the user by the Wi-Fi. You no more need to be in a region
that is Wi-Fi enabled to have access to the internet. You can simply stand under any form of
light and surf the internet as the connection is made in case of any light presence. There
cannot be anything better than this technology.

Fig 3.Working and advantages

APPLICATION OF LI-FI
You Might Just Live Longer
For a long time, medical technology has lagged behind the rest of the wireless world.
Operating rooms do not allow Wi-Fi over radiation concerns, and there is also that whole lack
of dedicated spectrum. While Wi-Fi is in place in many hospitals, interference from cell
phones and computers can block signals from monitoring equipment. Li-Fi solves both
problems: lights are not only allowed in operating rooms, but tend to be the most glaring (pun
intended) fixtures in the room. And, as Haas mentions in his TED Talk, Li-Fi has 10,000
times the spectrum of Wi-Fi, so maybe we can, I dont know, delegate red light to priority
medical data. Code Red!

Airlines:
Airline Wi-Fi. Ugh. Nothing says captive audience like having to pay for the "service"
of dial-up speed Wi-Fi on the plane. And dont get me started on the pricing. The best Ive
heard so far is that passengers will "soon" be offered a "high-speed like" connection on some
airlines. United is planning on speeds as high as 9.8 Mbps per plane. Uh, I have twice that
capacity in my living room. And at the same price as checking a bag, I expect it. Li-Fi could
easily introduce that sort of speed to each seat's reading light. Ill be the guy wowing next to
you. Its better than listening to you tell me about your wildly successful son, maam.

Smarter Power Plants:

Wi-Fi and many other radiation types are bad for sensitive areas. Like those
surrounding power plants. But power plants need fast, inter-connected data systems to
monitor things like demand, grid integrity and (in nuclear plants) core temperature. The
savings from proper monitoring at a single power plant can add up to hundreds of thousands
of dollars. Li-Fi could offer safe, abundant connectivity for all areas of these sensitive
locations. Not only would this save money related to currently implemented solutions, but the
draw on a power plants own reserves could be lessened if they havent yet converted to LED
lighting.

Undersea Awesomeness:

Underwater ROVs, those favorite toys of treasure seekers and James Cameron,
operate from large cables that supply their power and allow them to receive signals from their
pilots above. ROVs work great, except when the tether isnt long enough to explore an area,
or when it gets stuck on something. If their wires were cut and replaced with light say
from a submerged, high-powered lamp then they would be much freer to explore. They
could also use their headlamps to communicate with each other, processing data
autonomously and referring findings periodically back to the surface, all the while obtaining
their next batch of orders.

It Could Keep You Informed and Save Lives

Say theres an earthquake in New York. Or a hurricane. Take your pick its a wacky
city. The average New Yorker may not know what the protocols are for those kinds of
disasters. Until they pass under a street light, that is. Remember, with Li-Fi, if theres light,
youre online. Subway stations and tunnels, common dead zones for most emergency
communications, pose no obstruction. Plus, in times less stressing cities could opt to provide
cheap high-speed Web access to every street corner.

USES IN VARIOUS AREAS

Can be used in the places where it is difficult to lay the optical fiber like hospitals. In
operation theatre LiFi can be used for modern medical instruments. In traffic signals LiFi can
be used which will communicate with the LED lights of the cars and accident numbers can be
decreased. Thousand and millions of street lamps can be transferred to LiFi lamps to transfer
data. In aircraft LiFi can be used for data transmission.
It can be used in petroleum or chemical plants where other transmission or
frequencies could be hazardous.

Genesis of LI-FI:
Harald Haas, a professor at the University of Edinburgh who began his research in the field in
2004, gave a debut demonstration of what he called a Li-Fi prototype at the TED Global
conference in Edinburgh on 12th July 2011. He used a table lamp with an LED bulb to
transmit a video of blooming flowers that was then projected onto a screen behind him.
During the event he periodically blocked the light from lamp to prove that the lamp was
indeed the source of incoming data. At TED Global, Haas demonstrated a data rate of
transmission of around 10Mbps -- comparable to a fairly good UK broadband connection.
Two months later he achieved 123Mbps.

How it is different?
Li-Fi technology is based on LEDs for the transfer of data.The transfer of the data can be
with the help of all kinds oflight, no matter the part of the spectrum that they belong.
Thatis,the light can belong to the invisible, ultraviolet or thevisible part of the spectrum. Also,
the speed of the internet isincredibly high and you can download movies, games, music etc in
just a few minutes with the help of this technology.

Also, the technology removes limitations that have been puton the user by the Wi-Fi. You no
more need to be in a regionthat is Wi-Fi enabled to have access to the internet. You cansimply
stand under any form of light and surf the internet asthe connection is made in case of any
light

presence.

Therecannot

be

anything

better

than

this

technology.

To further get a grasp of Li-Fi consider an IR remote. It sends a single data stream of bits at
the rate of 10,000-20,000 bps. Now replace the IR LED with a Light Box containing a large
LED array.

HISTORY
Professor Harald Haas, from the University of Edinburgh in the UK, is widely recognised as
the original founder of Li-Fi. He coined the term Li-Fi and is Chair of Mobile
Communications at the University of Edinburgh and co-founder of pureLiFi.
The general term visible light communication (VLC), includes any use of the visible light
portion of the electromagnetic spectrum to transmit information. The D-Light project at
Edinburgh's Institute for Digital Communications was funded from January 2010 to January
2012. Haas promoted this technology in his 2011TED Global talk and helped start a company
to market it. PureLiFi, formerly pureVLC, is an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) firm
set up to commercialize Li-Fi products for integration with existing LED-lighting systems.
In October 2011, companies and industry groups formed the Li-Fi Consortium, to promote
high-speed optical wireless systems and to overcome the limited amount of radio-based
wireless spectrum available by exploiting a completely different part of the electromagnetic
spectrum. A number of companies offer uni-directional VLC products which is not the same
as Li-Fi.
VLC technology was exhibited in 2012 using Li-Fi. By August 2013, data rates of over
1.6 Gbps were demonstrated over a single color LED. In September 2013, a press release said
that Li-Fi, or VLC systems in general, do not require line-of-sight conditions. In October
2013, it was reported Chinese manufacturers were working on Li-Fi development kits.
One

part

of

VLC

is

modeled

after

communication

protocols

established

by

the IEEE workgroup. However, the IEEE 802.15.7 standard is out-of-date. Specifically, the
standard fails to consider the latest technological developments in the field of optical wireless
communications, specifically with the introduction of optical orthogonal frequency-division
multiplexing (O-OFDM) modulation methods which have been optimized for data rates,
multiple-access and energy efficiency have. The introduction of O-OFDM means that a new
drive for standardization of optical wireless communications is required.
Nonetheless, the IEEE 802.15.7 standard defines the physical layer (PHY) and media access
control (MAC) layer. The standard is able to deliver enough data rates to transmit audio,
video and multimedia services. It takes into account the optical transmission mobility, its
compatibility with artificial lighting present in infrastructures, the devience which may be

caused by interference generated by the ambient lighting. The MAC layer allows to use the
link with the other layers like the TCP/IP protocol.
The standard defines three PHY layers with different rates:

The PHY I was established for outdoor application and works from 11.67 kbit/s to
267.6 kbit/s.

The PHY II layer allows to reach data rates from 1.25 Mbit/s to 96 Mbit/s.

The PHY III is used for many emissions sources with a particular modulation method
called color shift keying (CSK). PHY III can deliver rates from 12 Mbit/s to 96 Mbit/s.

The modulation formatsrecognized for PHY I and PHY II are the coding on-off
keying (OOK) and variable pulse position modulation (VPPM). The Manchester coding used
for the PHY I and PHY II layers include the clock inside the transmitted data by representing
a logic 0 with an OOK symbol "01" and a logic 1 with an OOK symbol "10", all with a DC
component. The DC component avoids the light extinction in case of an extended line of
logic 0.
The first Li-Fi smartphone prototype was presented at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las
Vegas from January 710 in 2014. The phone uses Sun Partners Wysips CONNECT, a
technique that converts light waves into usable energy, making the phone capable of
receiving and decoding signals without drawing on its battery.

Li-Fi, or light fidelity, refers to 5G visible light communication systems using light
from light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as a medium to deliver networked, mobile, high-speed
communication in a similar manner as Wi-Fi. Li-Fi could lead to the Internet of Things,
which is everything electronic being connected to the internet, with the LED lights on the
electronics being used as internet access points. The Li-Fi market is projected to have a
compound of 82% from 2013 to 2018 and to be worth over $6 billion per year by 2018.
Visible light communications (VLC) signals work by switching bulbs on and off
within nanoseconds, which is too quickly to be noticed by the human eye. Although Li-Fi
bulbs would have to be kept on to transmit data, the bulbs could be dimmed to the point that

they were not visible to humans and yet still functional. The light waves cannot penetrate
walls which makes a much shorter range, though more secure from hacking, relative to WiFi. Direct line of sight isn't necessary for Li-Fi to transmit signal and light reflected off of the
walls can achieve 70 Mbps.

Li-Fi has the advantage of being able to be used in electromagnetic sensitive areas
such as in aircraft cabins, hospitals and nuclear power plants [citation
causing electromagnetic

interference. Both

Wi-Fi

and

Li-Fi

transmit

needed]

without

data

over

the electromagnetic spectrum, but whereas Wi-Fi utilises radio waves, Li-Fi uses visible light.
While the US Federal Communications Commission has warned of a potential spectrum
crisis because Wi-Fi is close to full capacity, Li-Fi has almost no limitations on capacity. The
visible

light

spectrum

is

10,000

times

larger

than

the

entire radio

frequency spectrum.Researchers have reached data rates of over 10 Gbps, which is more than
250 times faster than superfast broadband.

'Li-fi' via LED light bulb data speed breakthrough

UK researchers say they have achieved data transmission speeds of 10Gbit/s via "li-fi" wireless internet connectivity using light.
The researchers used a micro-LED light bulb to transmit 3.5Gbit/s via each of the three
primary colours - red, green, blue - that make up white light.
This means over 10Gbit/s is possible.Li-fi is an emerging technology that could see
specialised LED lights bulbs providing low-cost wireless internet connectivity almost
everywhere.

Micro-LEDs can transmit large amounts of digital data in parallel

High speed

The research, known as the ultra-parallel visible light communications project, is a joint
venture between the universities of Edinburgh, St Andrews, Strathclyde, Oxford, and
Cambridge, and funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
The tiny micro-LED bulbs, developed by the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, allow
streams of light to be beamed in parallel, each multiplying the amount of data that can be
transmitted at any one time.
"If you think of a shower head separating water out into parallel streams, that's how we can
make light behave," said Prof Harald Haas, an expert in optical wireless communications at
the University of Edinburgh and one of the project leaders.
Using a digital modulation technique called Orthogonal Frequency Divisional Multiplexing
(OFDM), researchers enabled micro-LED light bulbs to handle millions of changes in light
intensity per second, effectively behaving like an extremely fast on/off switch.
This allows large chunks of binary data - a series of ones and zeros - to be transmitted at high
speed.
Earlier this year, Germany's Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute claimed that data rates of up
to 1Gbit/s per LED light frequency were possible in laboratory conditions.And this month,
Chinese scientists reportedly developed a microchipped LED bulb that can produce data
speeds of up to 150 megabits per second (Mbps), with one bulb providing internet
connectivity for four computers.

'Light fidelity'
Prof Harald Haas has been in the forefront of "li-fi" research for the last 10 years
In 2011, Prof Haas demonstrated how an LED bulb equipped with signal processing
technology could stream a high-definition video to a computer.
He coined the term "light fidelity" or li-fi - also known as visual light communications (VLC)
- and set up a private company, PureVLC, to exploit the technology.
Li-fi promises to be cheaper and more energy-efficient than existing wireless radio systems
given the ubiquity of LED bulbs and the fact that lighting infrastructure is already in place.

Visible light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum and its bandwidth is 10,000 times bigger
than the radio frequency spectrum used by existing communication systems, affording vastly
greater capacity.Another advantage, Prof Haas argues, is that evenly spaced LED transmitters
could provide much more localised and consistent internet connectivity throughout buildings.

The disadvantage of traditional wi-fi routers is that the signal weakens the further you are
away from it, leading to inconsistent connectivity within offices and homes.
Prof Haas also believes light's inability to penetrate walls makes VLC technology potentially
more secure than traditional wi-fi connectivity.

LED light bulb 'li-fi' closer, say Chinese scientists

If "li-fi" technology takes off, all LED lights could potentially provide internet connectivity.
Wi-fi connectivity from a light bulb - or "li-fi" - has come a step closer, according to
Chinese scientists.
A microchipped bulb can produce data speeds of up to 150 megabits per second (Mbps), Chi
Nan, IT professor at Shanghai's Fudan University told Xinhua News.

A one-watt LED light bulb would be enough to provide net connectivity to four computers,
researchers say.But experts told the BBC more evidence was needed to back up the
claims.There are no supporting video or photos showing the technology in action.
Li-fi, also known as visible light communications (VLC), at these speeds would be faster and cheaper - than the average Chinese broadband connection.
In 2011, Prof Harald Haas, an expert in optical wireless communications at the University of
Edinburgh, demonstrated how an LED bulb equipped with signal processing technology
could stream a high-definition video to a computer.He coined the term "light fidelity" or li-fi
and set up a private company, PureVLC, to exploit the technology.

"We're just as surprised as everyone else by this announcement," PureVLC spokesman Nikola
Serafimovski told the BBC.
"But how valid this is we don't know without seeing more evidence. We remain sceptical."
This year, the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute claimed that data rates of up to 1Gbit/s per
LED light frequency were possible in laboratory conditions, making one bulb with three
colours potentially capable of transmitting data at up to 3Gbit/s.

Edinburgh University's Prof Harald Haas coined the term "li-fi"

Unlimited capacity
Li-fi promises to be cheaper and more energy-efficient than existing wireless radio systems
given the ubiquity of LED bulbs and the fact that lighting infrastructure is already in place.
Visible light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum and 10,000 times bigger than the radio
spectrum, affording potentially unlimited capacity.But there are drawbacks: block the light
and you block the signal.However, this is also a potential advantage from a security point of
view. Light cannot penetrate walls as radio signals can, so drive-by hacking of wireless
internet signals would be far more difficult, if not impossible.
Prof Chi's research team includes scientists from the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics
at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the report says.She admitted that the technology was
still in its infancy and needed further developments in microchip design and optical
communication controls before it could go mass market.
Her team is hoping to show off sample li-fi kits at the China International Industry Fair in
Shanghai on 5 November, the report said.

How LIFI Light Sources Work

INTRODUCTION
LIFI is a new class of high intensity light source of solid state design bringing clean lighting
solutions togeneral and specialty lighting. With energy efficiency, long useful lifetime, full
spectrum and dimming,
LIFI lighting applications work better compared to conventional approaches. This technology
briefdescribes the general construction of LIFI lighting systems and the basic technology
building blocksbehind their function.

LIFI CONSTRUCTION
The LIFI product consists of 4 primary sub-assemblies:
Bulb
RF power amplifier circuit (PA)
Printed circuit board (PCB)
Enclosure
The PCB controls the electrical inputs and outputs of the lamp andhouses the microcontroller
used to manage different lamp functions.An RF (radio-frequency) signal is generated by the
solid-state PAand is guided into an electric field about the bulb. The highconcentration of
energy in the electric field vaporizes the contentsof the bulb to a plasma state at the bulbs
center; this controlledplasma generates an intense source of light. All of these subassemblies
are contained in an aluminum enclosure.

FUNCTION OF THE BULB SUB-ASSEMBLY

At the heart of LIFI is the bulb sub-assembly where a sealed bulb isembedded in a dielectric
material. This design is more reliable thanconventional light sources that insert degradable
electrodes into thebulb. The dielectric material serves two purposes; first as awaveguide for

the RF energy transmitted by the PA and second as anelectric field concentrator that focuses
energy in the bulb. Theenergy from the electric field rapidly heats the material in the bulb toa
plasma state that emits light of high intensity and full spectrum.
The LIFI product consists of 4 primary sub-assemblies:
Bulb
RF power amplifier circuit (PA)
Printed circuit board (PCB)
Enclosure
The PCB controls the electrical inputs and outputs of the lamp and houses the microcontroller used to manage different lamp functions.

Application of LiFi (Light Fidelity) Technology

Li-Fi found its application in Airways, Green information technology, multi user
communication, Underwater ROV etc. and has many advantages which are discussed in
this project report. Use this report on LiFi only for your study and reference purpose.
The design and construction of the LIFI light source enable efficiency, long stable life, full
spectrum intensity that is digitally controlled and easy to use.

PRESENT SCENARIO:
We have 1.4 million cellular radio waves base stations deployed.
We also have over 5 billions of mobile phones.
Mobile phone transmits more than 600TBb of data.
Wireless communication has become a utility like electricity & water.
We use it in everyday life,in our private life,business life.
Currently wifi uses Radio waves for communication.
It is important to look into this technology which has become fundamental to our

life.

Four Issues with Radio Waves:

1. Capacity:

We transmit wireless data through radiowaves.

Radio waves are limited,scar and expensive.
We only have a certain range of it.
With the advent of the new generation technologies as of
likes of 2.5G,3G,4G and so on we are running out of
spectrum.

2. Efficiency:

There are 1.4 million cellular radio base stations.

They consume massive amount of energy.
Most of this energy is not used for transmission but for

cooling down the base stations.

Efficiency of such a base station is only 5% and that
raise a very big problem.

3. Availability:

We have to switch off our mobiles in aeroplanes.

It is not advisable to use mobiles at places like

petrochemical plants and petrol pumps.

Availability of radiowaves causes another concern.

4. Security:

Radiowaves penetrate through walls.

They can be intercepted.
If someone has knowledge and bad intentions then
he may misuse it.

5. Alternative to Radiowaves in Electromagnetic Spectrum:

So there are four major concerns i.e.,

capacity,efficiency,availability,security related with
Radiowaves.

But on the other hand we have 40 billions of light box

already installed and light is part of electromagnetic

spectrum.
So letslook up at this in context of EM spectrum.

Gamma rays are simply very dangerous and thus cant be used for our purpose of

communication.
X-rays are good in hospital and cant be used either.
Ultra-violet raysare sometimes good for our skin but for long duration it is dangerous.
Infra-red rays are bad for our eyes and are therefore used at low power levels.
We have already seen shortcomings of radiowaves.
So we are left with only Visible light spectrum.

LI-FI HAS AN UPPERHAND DUE TO PARALLEL DATA TRANSMISSION

Conclusion:

The possibilities are numerous and can be explored further. If his technology can be
put into practical use, every bulb can be used something like a Wi-Fi hotspot to transmit
wireless data and we will proceed toward the cleaner, greener, safer and brighter future. The
concept of Li-Fi is currently attracting a great deal of interest, not least because it may offer a

genuine and very efficient alternative to radio-based wireless. As a growing number of people
and their many devices access wireless internet, the airwaves are becoming increasingly
clogged, making it more and more difficult to get a reliable, high-speed signal. This may
solve issues such as the shortage of radio-frequency bandwidth and also allow internet where
traditional radio based wireless isnt allowed such as aircraft or hospitals. One of the
shortcomings however is that it only work in direct line of sight.

REFERENCES
[1] seminarprojects.com/s/seminar-report-on-lifi
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li-Fi
[3] http://teleinfobd.blogspot.in/2012/01/what-is-lifi.html
[4] technopits.blogspot.comtechnology.cgap.org/2012/01/11/a-lifi-world/
[5] www.lificonsortium.org/

[6] the-gadgeteer.com/2011/08/29/li-fi-internet-at-thespeed-of-light/
[7] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li-Fi
[8] Will Li-Fi be the new Wi-Fi?, New Scientist, by Jamie Condliffe, dated 28 July 2011
[9] http://www.digplanet.com/wiki/Li-Fi
[10] Visible-light communication: Tripping the light fantastic: A fast and cheap optical
version of Wi-Fi is coming, Economist, dated 28Jan 2012.