Li-Fi Vs. Wi-FI

Compiled by: Anumbor Ogor

Light Fidelity or Li-Fi is a Visible Light Communications (VLC) system running wireless communications traveling at very high speeds.

Li-Fi uses common household LED (light emitting diodes) light bulbs to enable data transfer, boasting speeds of up to 224 gigabits per second.

This article is an excerpt of the main article below; (Original Article URL: http://www.techworld.com/…/what-is-li-fi-everything-you-ne…/)

The term Li-Fi was coined by University of Edinburgh Professor Harald Haas during a TED Talk in 2011 (watch video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqH9KX9o0vg). Haas envisioned light bulbs that could act as wireless routers.
 
The system accommodates a photo-detector to receive light signals and a signal processing element to convert the data into 'stream-able' content. An LED light bulb is a semi-conductor light source meaning that the constant current of electricity supplied to an LED light bulb can be dipped and dimmed, up and down at extremely high speeds, without being visible to the human eye.

 For example, data is fed into an LED light bulb (with signal processing technology), it then sends data (embedded in its beam) at rapid speeds to the photo-detector (photo-diode).
The tiny changes in the rapid dimming of LED bulbs is then converted by the 'receiver' into electrical signal. The signal is then converted back into a binary data stream that we would recognise as web, video and audio applications that run on internet enables devices.


Li-Fi Vs. Wi-Fi; The Contest.

Li-Fi with its 224 gigabits per second leaves Wi-Fi in the dust. Li-Fi's exclusive use of visible light could halt a mass uptake. Li-Fi signals cannot pass through walls, so in order to enjoy full connectivity, capable LED bulbs will need to be placed throughout the home. Not to mention, Li-Fi requires the light-bulb is on at all times to provide connectivity, meaning that the lights will need to be on during the day.

What's more, where there is a lack of light-bulbs, there is a lack of Li-Fi internet so Li-Fi does take a hit when it comes to public Wi-Fi networks. Li-Fi could make a huge impact on the internet of things too, with data transferred at much higher levels with even more devices able to connect to one another.

What's more, reports suggest that Apple may build future iPhones with Li-Fi capabilities. A Twitter user found that within its iOS 9.1 code there were references to Li-Fi written as 'LiFiCapability' hinting that Apple may integrate Li-fi with iPhones in the future.

Note: (Original Article URL: http://www.techworld.com/…/what-is-li-fi-everything-you-ne…/)