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The market for light-based wireless connectivity, or Li-Fi, is set to see huge growth over the coming years, but it will only be able to achieve its potential if clear open standards are established to help govern the technology.
This is the finding of a new report from French research firm Yole Développement, which found that while all the essential parts for deploying Li-Fi are now available, the key to success will be a communications standard that ensures all the different components, functions and software can integrate into interoperable solutions.
It noted that progress is being made on this, EE News Europe reports, with the IEEE set to introduce a Li-Fi-dedicated standard known as 802.11.bb in 2021.
Once this is available, Yole forecasts significant growth for the market, with the firm predicting a 53 per cent compound annual growth rate between 2021 to 2023. This would be enough to make Li-Fi a billion-dollar market by 2023.
The research stated that currently, one of the biggest challenges will be in developing effective two-way communications. While it is comparatively easy to send data downstream from a Li-Fi-enabled LED light fitting, which modulates at a frequency far faster than the human eye can perceive, it is not possible for upstream data to use the same white light.
Instead, infrared will be the preferred method of upstream data transmission. However, a clear commitment from carrier industries, including telecoms, mobile device manufacturers and lighting suppliers, will be essential for developing concrete products from the technology.
Yole noted that along with the need for standardisation, major players in the mobile industry such as Samsung, Huawei and Apple will need to devote resources to the development of Li-Fi-enabled devices to bring the technology into the mainstream.
The firm also forecasts that the industrial, hospitality, healthcare, retail, office, education, and residential sectors will all be able to benefit from Li-Fi connectivity, with these areas accounting for 80 per cent of the expected volume in 2023.
