Move over WiFi; successful experiments by a group of Xinhua, Shanghai based scientists have implied the possibilities of improving China’s online means by using the signals sent by light bulbs. This technology is called LiFi, a wireless communication using light as a carrier in place of the usual radio frequencies. This has the advantage of being able to use internet even near electromagnetic sensitive locations such as nuclear power plants and aircrafts, without causing any interference.
In an experiment, four computers in a one-wattage LED light can be connected to the internet. Chi Nan, a professor in Fudan University, Shanghai, has disclosed that a light bulb with inserted microchips is able to generate data rates with the speed of 150 mbps, which is faster than the typical broadband in China. Chi under the information technology department and is leading the research team for LiFi. This team includes researchers from the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics.
The LiFi offers a practical and resourceful solution for the local Chinese broadband. Chi reveals that the present wireless signal transmission is costly and inefficient. A big percentage of energy is also wasted on cell phone base stations, which consumes a lot of electricity on their cooling systems. Compared to these stations, there can be limitless number of light bulbs which can produce better broadband signals without consuming a lot of energy.
However, the team of scientists knew that this innovation still has a long way to go to be successful commercially.