Posted on
More from News
Demand for wireless technologies is growing all the time as the number of connected devices used by businesses and consumers continues to increase. But while tools like 5G mobile networks and Wi-Fi 6 have become available over the last few months, there is another option that's gathering momentum - Li-Fi.
This technology uses the visible light spectrum to transmit data via fast-modulating LED bulbs and promises to offer a wide range of benefits to businesses. As well as faster speeds than Wi-Fi, it isn't subject to radio frequency (RF) interference in the same way that traditional wireless technologies are, while its line-of-sight requirement makes it useful for highly-secure areas.
But will 2020 be the year in which the technology makes the breakthrough to the mainstream? Here are some of the key developments that have taken place recently, as well as a look at the next steps for the technology.
Improving the reliability and visibility of Li-Fi
While Li-Fi isn't subject to RF interference as Wi-Fi is, it is possible for light waves from different Li-Fi transmitters to interfere with each other where they overlap, which may restrict how far users are able to go while staying connected to the technology.
This is an issue that was recently highlighted by the CEA, France's national energy and technology agency, as a potential drawback for the technology in larger deployments. However, steps are being taken to provide solutions to this, with the CEA demonstrating its latest innovation at the recent CES show in Las Vegas.
It introduced a 'LiFi Multicell' module - also known as an orchestrator - which can be connected to each Li-Fi light unit. This then detects when a device has entered a potential interference zone and optimises the modulation of the LEDs to prevent such interference.
However, this wasn't the only Li-Fi related technology on show at January's CES event. Another firm presenting at the show was SLD, which was demonstrating its LaserLight communication technology. This is designed for use in environments such as smart cars and smart cities and is intended to provide service over longer ranges or wide areas. With high-speed data rates of over 20Gbps - some 20 times faster than 5G data transfers - it could signal the future of light-based data transfers.
With both solutions being shown off at the consumer-focused CES, these are signs that efforts are now being made to boost awareness of the capabilities of Li-Fi and promote it as a practical option for use in future end-user devices.
The next key stages for Li-Fi
In order for Li-Fi to become a mainstream option for deployment in everyday networks, however, there are still a couple of milestones that need to be reached.
The first is for the standard to achieve full certification, which is expected to take place as early as next year with the ratification of the IEEE 802.11bb standard. This should give the Li-Fi market some much-needed clarity and put an end to the uncertainty caused by having two competing standards, which is currently the case with technologies from Philips and the IEEE on offer.
Another key stage for the development of Li-Fi will be for the technology to become more integrated into end-user devices. At the moment, if users want to connect to a Li-Fi network, they usually need to plug in a dongle to their laptop or mobile device, which can be cumbersome and inconvenient.
Therefore, the addition of Li-F receivers as standard in the next generation of smartphones and tablets will be a key step in ensuring the technology is commercially viable to consumers.
Already, efforts are underway to develop this, with one provider, PureLiFi, recently announcing it has secured $18 million (£13.8 million) in funding, which will be used to develop Li-Fi light antennas for mobile devices that should be capable of speeds of up to 1Gbps.
With this ability to deliver high data transfer rates, as well as reduce latency by up to three times compared with Wi-Fi, there are set to be a wide range of user applications for the technology in the coming years.
This year is set to be a key period of growth for Li-Fi as it approaches maturity, with mainstream deployments in applications such as gaming, VR, AR and mixed reality set to really take off in 2021. Therefore, deployers should be preparing for this now and asking where the technology will be best-suited.
While Li-Fi is unlikely to replace other wireless networking technologies completely, its speed, security and lack of interference with radio waves will make a a highly useful complementary technology in the coming years, and as awareness of its capabilities grows, mainstream adoption is closer than ever.
