Is Li-Fi safer than Wi-Fi?

Is Li-Fi safer than Wi-Fi?

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is currently the most popular communication technology in wireless local area networks (WLANs).

Wi-Fi devices must be fitted with antennas that transmit and receive radio waves in order to allow wireless connections. The devices function in certain frequency bands near 2.4 and 5 gigahertz (GHz).

People using or in close proximity of Wi-Fi, are exposed to the radio signals it emits and some of the transmitted energy in the signals is absorbed in their bodies. The Public Health England (PHE), an executive agency for the Department of Health and Social Care in the UK, published a report from the Advisory Group of Non-Ionising Radiation (AGNIR) about Wi-Fi exposure and its effects on human health.  There are five key points from the report.

Firstly, there was no consistent evidence to date that that exposure to RF signals from Wi-Fi and WLANs adversely affect the health of the general population. Secondly, the signals from Wi-Fi are very low power, typically 0.1 watt (100 milliwatts), in both the computer and the router and resulting exposures should be well within internationally-accepted guidelines.  Thirdly, the frequencies used are broadly the same as those from other RF applications.  Fourthly, based on current knowledge, RF exposures from Wi-Fi are likely to be lower than those from mobile phones. Fifthly, on the basis of current scientific information, exposures from Wi-Fi equipment satisfy international guidelines. There was no consistent evidence of health effects from RF exposures below guideline levels and no reason why schools and others should not use Wi-Fi equipment.

You can read the comprehensive report here.

Li-Fi

The source of light waves used by Li-Fi are LED bulbs.  In contrast to Wi-Fi, Li-Fi does not penetrate walls and hence provide enhanced security in data transmission.  Some experts are concerned that LED exposure can be potentially harmful to health or even damage eyesight. 

CELMA is the Federation of National Manufacturers Associations for Luminaires and Electrotechnical components in the European Union. CELMA carried out a study on the comparison of photo-biological safety of LED-based light sources to non-LED light sources.
It was published that LED-based lighting sources are as safe to use as incandescent bulbs and fluorescent bulbs and that the amount of blue light emitted from them is no different than that emitted from non-LED light sources.   While recognizing the potential issues with excess blue-light levels, the paper staed that the “portion of blue in LED is not different from that in lamps using other technologies at the same color temperature.”  LED lighting is considered safe when used as intended.  The report also discusses optical safety such as the hazards of looking directly into bright, point-like sources, as well as other potential eye and skin hazards.

You can read the paper here.

Unlike other energy-efficient types of lighting, the LED bulb does not emit polluting radiation and therefore does not pose a health hazard.

LED bulbs operate at low voltage and are therefore considered safe compared to any other lighting systems (LED operates at low DC voltage 12 V).

LED lighting also does not emit UV or infrared radiation, it does not contain mercury and is resistant to shocks and vibration even in a particularly cold environment.

In conclusion, Li-Fi can be considered safer than being exposed to an ocean of radio waves.  However, more research studies should be carried out to monitor the effects of LED exposure on human health.

Li Fi: the upcoming market disruptor

Li Fi: the upcoming market disruptor

Li Fi is a disruptive technology in the making, which will impact many industries.  It can unlock the Internet of Things, drive Industry 4.0 applications, light as a service (LaaS) in the lighting industry, enable new intelligent transport systems, enhance road safety when there are more and more driverless cars, create new cyber secure wireless networks, enable new ways of health monitoring of aging societies, offer new solutions to close the digital divide, and enable very high-speed wireless connectivity in future datacentres.

Internet of Things (IoT)

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a system of interrelated computing devices, mechanical and digital machines, objects, animals or people that are provided with unique identifiers (UIDs) and the ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction.

As the market for IoT devices continues to rise, faster and secure data transmission will be needed to cope with the demand.  Our current infrastructure simply cannot handle the quantity of data that will need to be transmitted if the IoT continues to grow at predicted rates.

Li-Fi will help reducing the issues we’re expecting to run into around spectrum as more and more connected devices in cities transfer critical data that can enhance decision-making.  Li-Fi will also help in transmitting big data from connected devices in a secure and faster rate than Wi-Fi.

Industry 4.0

Industry 4.0 is the stage where automation and data exchanges are occurring in manufacturing industry. This include cyber physical systems, the Internet of Things, cloud computing and cognitive computing. Industry 4.0 is also known as the 4th industrial revolution.

A Li-Fi communication channel is especially suited for machine-to-machine communication. Due to low Li-Fi latency times, it is possible to match sensor and actuator data to avoid collisions or coordinate complex interactions of different robot arms.

As there is a growing focus on human to machine interaction, digitalisation optimisation in different industries needs solutions such as measured values and control commands to be transmitted in real time. Li-Fi technology offers the security of cable solutions with the flexibility of wireless systems. Li-Fi also enables the extension of existing infrastructure through a self-sufficient communication channel, eliminating exorbitant installation costs. This is particularly helpful in cases where traditional technologies are already busy with other applications or where strong electromagnetic interactions make is impossible to use radio systems.  Li-Fi will be one of the most cost effective solutions for the requirements of industry 4.0

Light as a Service (LaaS)

Light as a Service is a light service delivery model charged on a subscription basis rather than one-time payment.  It is an emerging and growing energy market trend where businesses pay monthly fees to a company that retrofits the building with energy-efficient lighting.

Li-Fi will play an important role in LaaS in the many years to come. Nearly two decades ago, the first mobile phones served only one purpose and that was mobile telephony. Since 2007, smartphones do not only offer mobile telephony but serve hundreds of applications as well. Similarly, light bulbs today serve one purpose: lighting. Within the next 5 years, LED light bulbs will offer countless applications and will be an integral part of the emerging smart cities, smart homes, the Internet of Things (IoT), and LaaS will be the dominating theme. Li-Fi will be “pulled” into the lighting industry by new business models.

Professor Harald Haas said “LaaS in combination with Li-Fi will, therefore provide a business model driven “pull” for the lighting industry to enter what has traditionally been a wireless communications market.   It is therefore conceivable that the wireless industry and the lighting industry will merge into one”. 

Top 5 Applications of Li-Fi Technology

Top 5 Applications of Li-Fi Technology

Welcome to the blog of Li Fi Tech News

This article will be about some top applications of Li-Fi technology.

As a reminder, Li-Fi is a high speed, bidirectional, and fully networked wireless communication of data using light. Li-Fi is made of several light bulbs that form a wireless network. Watch the video below to see how Li-Fi works.

1. Li-Fi and Live Streaming

According to a Go-Globe report, 82% of consumers prefer to watch live videos from a brand than posts, 80% of brand audience prefer to watch live video from a brand than read a blog and live videos are watched three times longer than videos that are not live anymore.  Because of the high-speed rates Li-Fi can reach, it can be made available in big shopping malls, sport stadium, street lights, air planes, trains including underground, train stations, airports and hence. This allows any user to consume rich content media like videos as well as live streaming from their smartphones or other mobile devices nearly anywhere they are like in stadiums, trains and planes provided they are exposed to Li-Fi enabled LEDs.  Li-Fi live streaming can also be beneficial for the following type of events:

-Conferences

-Seminars

-Meetings

-Team Building events

-Trade shows

-Business diners

-Press conferences

-Networking events

-Opening Ceremonies

-Product launches

-Theme parties

-Award ceremonies

-Weddings

-Funerals

-Birthday parties

-Concerts

Li-Fi live streaming has a lot of potentials in the many years to come

2. Li-Fi technology in Hospitals

As Li-Fi does not interfere with radio frequency devices, Li-Fi can be safely used in many hospital applications. For example, in corridors, waiting rooms, patient rooms and operating theatres, Li-Fi technology will allow a light communication network, which will remove electromagnetic interference issues from smartphones and the use of Wi-Fi in hospitals. Li-Fi can also be used for real time monitoring and report of patient movement and vital signs without the need of wires.

In hospital pharmacies and specifically in aseptic manufacturing sites, Li-Fi could be used by pharmacists for receiving and screening electronically approved prescriptions directly in the unit.  Li-Fi can be used for real-time tracking of prescribed aseptic drugs like cytotoxic drugs, Parenteral drugs and centralized intravenous additive services (CIVAS) in the unit and nurses and other healthcare professionals from the ward can check the status without the need of calling or going directly to the aseptic unit. Through Li-Fi, the access and sharing of patient records will be done in a convenient, fast and very secure manner.  For pharmacy dispensaries, Li-Fi could be used by patients to check the real-time status of the prescriptions on their smartphones or pharmacy terminals while waiting to collect their scripts.  Li-Fi can enable data loggers to remotely monitor an environment with periodic data uploads using Li-Fi network without the need of being collected to a PC.  Through the Li-Fi network, the data can be collected from any Li-Fi enabled device.

Li-Fi can enable patients on their beds connecting to internet news, emails, video games and social media platforms through their smartphones. This will help them pass the time during their stay. For medical workers, Li-Fi will enable the tracking and relocation of the positions of key medical devices especially those regularly shared by different departments.  Check the below diagram for a summary of the benefits of Li-Fi in hospitals.

Credit to Oledcomm - Summary of Li-Fi application to the patient and the care givers

Oledcomm equipped Perpignan hospital with Li-Fi.

3. Li-Fi in the Workplace

Li-Fi will not offer illumination but secure wireless connectivity in workspaces.   As well as the networking capability, people will be able to take a Skype video conference call and move from one room to another without that conference call being interrupted.  Workers and visitors will have a constant internet speed connection from the Li-Fi networks in the workspace.  Using light, network access can also be controlled more effectively. For example, the overhead lighting in an office can provide access to the guest network, while desk lamps can provide access to specific parts of a corporate network with access rights assigned on a desk-by-desk basis

Philips Lighting's LiFi-enabled LEDs are currently being trialling Li-Fi technology in real-estate company Icade's office in La Defense, Paris.

Emmanuelle Baboulin, head of the company's commercial property investment division said: "LiFi has the potential to be a real game changer in offices. As the leader in our market we wanted to explore the possibilities of this technology for existing and future clients."  "We plan to showcase the technology in our smart office in La Defense, so aside from stable connectivity, light quality is crucial to us," he added.

Credit to Oledcomm - Summary of Li-Fi application to the workers and the IT department

4. Li-Fi in Schools

The right wireless network is a key component to provide new learning experiences by connecting students and teachers to smart technology, enabling learning applications on any mobile device. Li-Fi can also provides seamless network connectivity and security throughout the whole school, from the classroom all the way through to university dorms.  Some schools have even started trialling Li-Fi technology in classrooms.

A school called The Hegel-Gymnasium in Stuttgart is currently testing Li-Fi in classrooms to teach a broad range of subjects from everything to information technology.   In Fraunhofer's prototype Li-Fi installation at the Stuttgart school, lightwaves from LED luminaires wirelessly carry data to boxes that are wired via Ethernet to laptops. Fraunhofer is hoping to move the box's electronics onto a dongle, similar to what pureLiFi is doing. Eventually, the chips should reside inside laptops, phones, and tablets.  The school principal Frank Bäuerle stated that “We are happy that our students are involved with a sensational research project, which is concerned with high-speed data communication without electromagnetic interference. Our teaching staff and students will gather experiences on the level of sophistication of the Fraunhofer HHI VLC-modules, as well as on which pedagogical concepts make sense with this technology. In this way, we will be able to assist in the identification of future technological development.” 

Pupils in the space – at the Hegel-Gymnasium in Stuttgart – uses modulated light from the LED luminaires to receive data to their devices, an emerging technology known as Li-Fi. Photo credit to  Stadt Stuttgart, Yves Schneider

Few days ago, The Kyle academy, based in Scotland has also started using Li-Fi in classroom.  The Li-Fi project is being run in collaboration with PureLiFi and The University of Edinburgh. The installation of pureLiFi’s LiFi-XC system consists of eight LiFi-enabled LED light bulbs in the ceiling and students have been given access to LiFi-XC Stations that plug into their laptops enabling high-speed connectivity through the lights.

The Kyle academy in Scotland has started trialling Li-Fi in classrooms. Photo credit to Lux

Professor Harald Haas stated that "Li-Fi was born in Scotland at a TED Global talk that I presented in 2011. Seven years later, I’m thrilled to see true Li-Fi deployed for the first time in a school in Scotland".

5. Li-Fi in Retail

Li-Fi can help directing shoppers from the time they enter the shop. It can also help them to locate specific products in the store, collect digital coupons, check store promotions, check stock availability of some products on the shelves, engage in store online services through their smart devices and improve their store experience.

For retailers, Li-Fi can enable them to send promotions to shoppers’ smart devices, displaying promotions and offers. Li-Fi can also help retailers understanding behaviour anonymously for most customers, understanding the demographics of their shoppers, enabling target marketing campaigns, conducting display advertising campaigns and checking real-time stock availability. Li-Fi will bring an opportunity for shopping malls and centres to be a frontrunner in gaining an understanding of their customers and ultimately influencing them.

Credit to Oledcomm - Summary of Li-Fi application to the shoppers and the store manager

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Li-Fi Misconceptions

12 Misconceptions of Li-Fi

"The trouble with the world is not that people know too little; it's that they know so many things that just aren't so."

Welcome to the official blog of Li-Fi Tech News.

Today's article will be about the common misconceptions of Li-Fi technology that you may or may not have heard. But first, what is Li-Fi?

Li-Fi, also known as "Light Fidelity" is a wireless optical networking technology, which uses light emitting diodes (LEDs) to transmit data.  In 2011, professor Harald Haas made a Li-Fi demonstration at the TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Conference.

LiFi is a high speed, bidirectional, and fully networked wireless communication of data using light. Li-Fi is made of several light bulbs that form a wireless network. In simple words, Li-Fi is the internet through Light. Watch the video below to see how Li-Fi works.

Here is a list of 12 Misconceptions of Li-Fi technology.

1- It interferes with radio frequency

Radio Frequency Technology like Wi-Fi can be disturbed by a variety of devices such as smartphones, cordless phones, microwaves and other Wi-Fi networks.  Li-Fi uses the visible light spectrum, which operates at a higher frequency than the Radio Waves spectrum and hence does not interfere with Wi-Fi. Because of this, Li-Fi can be used in hospitals, air planes and power plants without the fear of interference from radio frequency devices.

2 – It is less secure than Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

 In contrast to Wi-Fi, light does not go through walls and can easily be contained in a physical space.  This gives the opportunity of creating secure ad-hoc networks in meeting rooms which can allow participants to share data without the risk of data leaking out.  Some designated rooms can be used as high-security areas with their own Li-Fi networks, isolating them from other areas of the building where there might be connection of vulnerable Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

PureLiFi is currently developing the security components and technologies that will help security specialists and consultants deliver more secure wireless communications.

3 – It will never be made affordable to the average consumer

Again, this is another misconception. Although, the Li Fi products can be very expensive ranging from £2500 to £5000, in terms of cost, a number of companies are working towards the miniaturisation of Li-Fi products to make it affordable for everyone and not just businesses.

4 – Just like Wi-Fi, Li-Fi will function in our pockets

Well, unless your clothes allow light to pass through them, Li-Fi will not work if a Li-Fi enabled device is in your pocket.  The Li-Fi receiver on the device must be exposed to a Li-Fi ready LED light.

5 – Li-Fi is truly a disruptive technology

Hold on, let us first look up the definition of disruptive technology”. A disruptive technology is defined as a technology displacing an established technology shaking up an entire industry or ground-breaking product that creates a completely new industry.  Examples of disruptive technologies are Peer-to-Peer ride-sharing platforms like Uber and Lyft. Netflix, a subscription based streaming service, can also be considered a disruptive technology.  Li-Fi will work in conjunction with existing Wi-Fi networks to provide faster and more secure internet and data transmissions.  So, Li-Fi should not be considered a disruptive technology just yet.

6 – Li-Fi won’t work in the dark

It is true that any Li-Fi receiver would need switched on LED lights to receive data transmission.  This means Li-Fi technology cannot be used in dark rooms.  However, a possible solution to solve this problem is to dim LEDs low enough so that our eyes can’t see them. 

A team of researchers, from Dartmouth College in the United States, are currently working on a project to encode data into ultra-short and imperceptible light impulses.  The project is called “DarkLight”.

Check the video below:

You can also read an abstract from their paper here.

7 – There is currently only one company that is commercialising Li-Fi

It is true that pureLiFi was the first company that coined the term Li-Fi, where Professor Harald Haas performed a demonstration at the Global TED talk conference in July 2011.  This resulted in the formation of a number of new Li-Fi companies that are currently working towards the commercialisation of Li-Fi technology.

Oledcomm is a spin off from the University of Versailles based on research on Visible light communication that begun in 2005.

VLNComm is a leading company in Visible Light Communication (VLC) or so called Li-Fi Technology, which is an alternative data communication technique for wireless applications that uses optical energy to provide illumination and data transmission at the same time.

8- Li-Fi cannot work under sunlight

This is not the case. It is generally assumed by many people that Li-Fi cannot work under sunlight conditions. The use of optical filters will enable Li-Fi to work outdoors without  interference from any natural or artificial sources. These filters reduce receiver saturation. Analogue and digital filtering can also be used to minimise the level of interference.  PureLiFi stated that  Li-Fi relies on detecting the fast changes in light intensity and not on the absolute or slowly varying levels caused by natural disruptions in daylight or sunlight. Li-Fi Technology modulates the light at very high rates whilst the sunlight acts as a constant light source which can be filtered out at the receiver.

9 – The LED lights used to transmit data, have a very short lifespan

In contrast to incandescent light bulbs, LED light bulbs have a general lifespan of around 50,000 hours. In other words, if used for 12 hours a day, the LED light bulb will last at least 11 years. If used for 8 hours a day, the LED light bulb can last for 17 years.  As we can see, LED lights can have a very long lifespan.

10 – You can’t use Li-Fi in remote areas or in villages where living conditions are extremely poor and limited

Well, that is not the case. In April 2017 in a village located near Liberia, a company called  Li-Fi Led Côte d’Ivoire installed solar panels to provide permanent lighting to its residents. They also provided LED installation to the entire village. Through these LED light bulbs, the residents have access to the internet and television without any wire or Wi-Fi connection thanks to Li-Fi Technology. Li-Fi can operate in remote areas with the right equipment.  Watch the video below:

You can also read the article about this story here

11 – Li-Fi is not a bi-directional technology

According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, bi-directional means involving, moving or taking place in two opposite directions. Generally, a Li-Fi system is made of Trans-receivers where one receiver is at the SOURCE and the other one is at the DESTINATION.  When the light flickers, the Trans-receiver senses the changes at the Destination point through a photo diode which decrypts the data.

PureLiFi defines Li-Fi as a bi-directional wireless communications technology that allows high speed transmissions in both uplink and downlink simultaneously.

Picture from pureLiFi

12 - Li-Fi is strictly a line of sight technology

Line of sight can be defined as electromagnetic radiation or acoustic wave propagation travelling in a direct path from a source to a receiver. In simpler terms, it is electro-magnetic waves travelling in a straight line.  Because light  can bounce off of a surface, Li-Fi cannot be fully considered a line of sight technology.  With a direct line of sight, a very fast rate of communication can be achieved but when light bounces off of a wall and other objects, the rate of communication will be lowered. PureLiFi states that "Li-Fi is a cellular communication system and the data rate is not dependent on the line of sight but on the signal quality at the device. Signal quality can be defined by the ratio of the desired data vs any interfering data and noise."

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