There is now a faster way to deliver data. It uses the visible spectrum rather than radio waves. It is known to be 100 times faster than the current Wi-Fi connection used by most places around the globe as of present.
The Li-Fi is said to deliver internet access 100 times faster than traditional wi-fi. The latter is known to offer speeds of upto 1Gbps.
The Li-Fi uses a light source, for example, a standard LED bulb, an internet connection and a photo detector. The term was first used by Prof Harald Haas, Chair of Mobile Communications, from Edinburgh University during the Ted (Technology, Entertainment and Design) conference in 2011. He has been studying the ways in which communication works through electronic data signals. He is also constantly looking for better ways to transmit them wirelessly.
Its capability was tested by Estonian start-up Velmenni, in Tallinn, BBC reports. During the test, Velmenni was able to transmit data at speeds of 1Gbps. However, previous laboratory tests have shown speeds of up to 224Gbps. He, back then, demonstrated how Li-Fi works by streaming a video using an LED lamp.
Chief Executive Deepak Solanki told the International Business Times that the technology could reach consumers "within three to four years".
According to Haas, the Li-Fi does not interfere with other radio signals, thus allowing it to be used on aircrafts and other places where the current wi-fi connection is not allowed.
However, like all other things, the Li-Fi also shows a set of disadvantages, including the fact that "it cannot be deployed outdoors in direct sunlight, because that would interfere with its signal." Furthermore, the nature of this development is through light, thus "initial use is likely to be limited to places where it can be used to supplement wi-fi networks, such as in congested urban areas or places where wi-fi is not safe, such as hospitals."
This development could be the answer to the "problem of a lack of spectrum that currently plagues the telecommunications and wireless internet industry," Tech FirstPost reports.
