Advancement in Light Fidelity (Li-Fi) Technology

Lakmal Danushka Uyanahewage

Faulty of Arts, Science and Technology
Glyndŵr University
S18003142@mail.glyndwr.ac.uk

Abstract - In the modern world, digital Global talk which was held in Edinburg. Li-Fi
communication and internet has become an works by using the Light Emitting Diodes
inevitable factor. Light Fidelity (Li-Fi) is one of (LEDs) for wireless communication, with a speed
the future digital communication technology in of above 3 Gb/s from a single LED. Typically, we
wireless communication sector that uses light can see LED light everywhere because of the
emitting diodes (LEDs) for transmission. Li-Fi energy efficient quality of LEDs and one of the
is the 5th generation of wireless communication advantages of Li-Fi is that it can work on
technology that has huge potential to supersede prevailing lighting infrastructure.
existing communication technologies. The
concept of Li-Fi is data communication on fast
flickering of light which is not detected by
human eye. This report focuses on Li-Fi, its
history, current growth, potentials, features and
its future aspects. Further, it compares existing
technologies like Wi-Fi and show Li-Fi’s greater
value and potential to the readers.

Keywords: Visible Light Communication

(VLC), Light Fidelity (Li-Fi), Wireless Fidelity
(Wi-Fi), Light Emitting Diode (LED), Wireless
Technology.

I. INTRODUCTION Figure 1- Basic Li-Fi Concept

Li-Fi is a wireless communication technology II. COMPARISON OF LI-FI AND WI-FI

between devices using light to transmit data and
Li-Fi is a better alternative to Wi-Fi in wireless
position. Li-FI is based on the Visible Light
communication as it is bidirectional, high speed
Communication (VLC) which uses the visible
and fully networked wireless communications
light for data communication. In VLC, we use a
similar to Wi-Fi. Li-Fi has lots of advantages over
source of illumination which can not only
Wi-Fi one of which is definitely the speed of Li-
produce illumination but also send information
Fi which is 10 times more than Wi-Fi. [2]
using the same light. So, we can say that VLC is
Although the range of Li-Fi is lesser than Wi-Fi,
illumination along with communication.[1]
in coming years with more development in light
It can be used for wireless communication among fidelity technology it will overcome this setback.
devices; light has been used for the transmitting Moreover, Li-Fi is more secure than Wi-Fi and in
of data and positions. The term Li-Fi was first coming future would substitute Wi-Fi.
pioneered by Harald Haas in 2011 during a TED

1
 Comparison of Li-Fi and Wi-Fi Technologies B. Earliest Work on Modern VLC
Li-Fi Wi-Fi In 2000, some Japan researchers projected the
notion of communication with visible light. In
Speed 1-3.5 Gbps 54-250 Mbps 2009, with lots of efforts and hard work the
IEE Standard 802.15.7 802.11b researches of Keio University could make a 100
Spectrum 10,000 times Radio spectrum Mbit/s communication technology.
Range than Wi-Fi range
Network Point to Point to multi The Advancement of VLC in USA and Europe
Topology point point Some researchers in 2006, at Pennsylvania State
Data Transfer Use light as Use radio University recommended LED technology with
Medium carrier spectrum power-line transmission for l broadband access as
Frequency of 100 times of it is more efficient and economical for
2.4GHz
Band THz networking.
Cost Medium Low
The National Science Foundation of US together
Based on
Range 100m with University of New Mexico, Boston
light fittings
High University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Security Secured
secured developed a communication technology with the
Operating Visible light help of LED bulbs that was equivalent to a Wi-Fi
RF band
band band access point.
Development
2011 1990
Started C. Li-Fi’s Invention
No
Frequency frequency 2+5GHz Most of the researches for Li-Fi was performed at
for light University of Edinburg, Leaded by Prof. Harald
Wherever Haas. VLC is an umbrella term that encompasses
Primary
light is WLAN all communications technologies that use visible
application
available
Market light. Li-Fi makes use of the basic principles of
Low High VLC yet uses a two-way network protocol to
maturity
Power provide high-speed network connectivity. [4]
Moderate Moderate
consumption
Table 1- Comparison of Li-Fi and Wi-Fi
D. Li-Fi and Professor Harald Haas.
III. HISTORY OF LI-FI In 2006 Prof. Haas and his team introduced they
commenced researches in VLC technology. Their
The history of Li-Fi includes the past records of research focused to use of light as a channel for
VLC where visible light becomes the medium of bi directional transmission of data, which
data communication. cemented the path for Li-Fi technology.

A. The Photophone The world was introduced to the term Li-Fi in

Alexander Graham Bell and his assistant Charles
invented the Photophone in 1880. This utilize the
beam of light to transmit of speech wirelessly
which was an important invention of Alexander,
led a variety of optical communication
technologies along with fiber optics.
2011 during TED talk which was titled as
Wireless Data from Every Light Bulb. In this talk
Prof. Haas strike the term Light Fidelity
providing a live illustration of new technology by
streaming a HD video with the help of standard
LED lamp.

2
In 2012 with the help of Prof. Haas a company
started marketing Li-Fi technology. Firstly, the
name of the company was pure VLC but later
changed into pure Li-Fi, which was an original
manufacturer of equipment and was ready to
commercialize Li-Fi products and move forward
for their amalgamation with prevailing LED-
lighting system.
E. Li-Fi in Coming years
In coming years, the industry of light will go
through the most momentous changes, in 20 years
older business models in this industry will
become obsolete and novel one’s need to come
into sight. Therefore, Lighting-as-a-Service
(LaaS) will be a leading theme that will grab lots
of attention and Li-Fi act as an engine through
which LaaS would be driven.
Pure Li-Fi has been collaborating with partners of
numerous industries that include Healthcare,
Device integrators, IT infrastructure, Tier 1
Telco’s together with partners in research with
Li-Fi R & D Centre of University of Edinburgh
for the development of product, its
commercialization and eventually the purpose is
the growth of Li-Fi market. The nature of light is
directional and is naturally safe; hence it offers
safer and sounder and improved wireless
communication. Since the technologies are
developing lights in the near future will act as a
high speed and smart sensing communication
devices.
Initially, the cell phone was used only for one
purpose that is mobile telephony, but now smart
phones have become a vital part of the lives and
all work depends on it. Likewise the purpose of
light bulbs now a days is just to provide light but
in next few years LED light bulbs will become a
fundamental part of homes, rising smart cities,
LaaS and Internet of things will be the upcoming
leading themes. Novel business models will
heave Li-Fi into the lighting industries.
3
Renovating a paradigm of future of LED light to
proffer connectivity comparable to a 5G base
station is the commonsensical next step and
offers the basis for an approximately unlimited
amplified wireless capacity exclusive of the need
for spending in more range.
Industry news says that Li-Fi will soon be
launched on next Li-Fi’s retail brand LIFIC (Li-
Fi Communications) as a brand marketing
strategy. This will be a new form of digital
signage that will be made available to brands and
retailers streaming real-time advertising on a new
secure wireless infrastructure. This infrastructure
uses light interacting with handsets and Internet
of Things (IoT) devices. In other words, it will
provide retailers the ability to send promotions to
consumer's handsets by displaying daily specials
and offers within a shopping complex.
Since 2011, a lot of commercial and IP-activity
has been noticed for Li-Fi. Many companies have
invested in research to bring a product to market.
The key vendors contributing to the global Li-Fi
market are Panasonic Corporation (Japan),
Acuity Brands, Inc. (U.S.), LightPointe
Communications, Inc. (U.S.), General Electric
(U.S.), Koninklijke Philips N.V. (the
Netherlands), Oledcomm (France), PureLiFi
Limited (U.K), Velmenni (Tartu), LightBee
Corporation (U.S.), FSONA Networks (U.K) and
others.[20]
IV. THE FUTURE
One of the most imperative trends for the
upcoming years is the IoT. The key needs for it
comprises of:
• Wireless data’s safety and security
• Power intended for sensors
• Wireless competence for communications
The combination of lights with wireless
communication gives rise to the innovative age of
smart buildings and internet of things. Cisco and
Philip lighting are partner shipping and utilized
Power over Ethernet for the basis of a smart
building in Amsterdam’s Deloitte HQ. Compared
to the traditional installation their installation was
50 percent cheaper. Adding to being economical,
Ethernet is provided with continually accessible
power that allows every light to turn into the hub
for sensor’s hosts.
Now the question for the coming future will be:
Who will “be in possession of” the Smart
Building and solve or services around it? Would
Lighting still be the area of Mechanical and
Electrical (M&E) systems, or is Lighting now an
element of Information Communication System?
The choice has an intense effect on the
acquirement and functioning feature of the
lighting system and definitely, building
management. The convergent market metric of
the lighting business with dollars/bit, affected by
the extensive life span of LED lighting solutions,
that means a dawdling but steady shift to
supplementary data-focused value scheme from
the suppliers of light. The internet of the things
and the Big Data Analytics facilitate demand
availability of power and wireless connectivity,
and lights are absolutely positioned to supply
both.
This benefit in wireless competence is
compounded if one considers the incorporation
of, lighting, cyber security and wireless network
development. Li-Fi is a vital source that supplies
for each of these aspects, and them collectively as
a whole.
Substitution of Wi-Fi with Li-Fi
As we can see Li-Fi is a much better technology
than Wi-Fi and it is expected that after some
development, Li-Fi in near future could replace
Wi-Fi, it might seem impossible at present but Li-
Fi has a very bright future in coming years. We
can use Li-Fi instead of Wi-Fi in different settings
in future, some of them are mentioned below:
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1. Li-Fi in Edification System
With the development of science, Li-Fi is the
most recent technology that has the fastest service
of internet. Therefore Li-Fi will substitute Wi-Fi
in edification services and in companies, thus
everyone could use the internet with fast speed.
2. Li-Fi in Radio Towers
Radio towers are very uneconomical and needs
immense amount of power for broadcasting and
sometimes needs enormous amount of power to
keep them cool adequately to operate. While
LEDs needs very less amount of power even
lesser than fluorescent bulbs, However Li-Fi
while giving internet can also lighten a room
which means with Li-Fi we can get done the job
of two at the cost of one.
3. Li-Fi at traffic Signals
Li-Fi can be used to correspond with the lights of
cars through which we can decrease the amount
of accidents occurs in daily life. Apart from that
the transmission of data could easily take place
by coordinating Li-Fi lamps with street lamps.
Figure 2- Li-Fi environment with street lamps
4. Li-Fi in Airplanes
As we all know how Wi-Fi in Airlines are,
passengers have to pay for the service of dial-up
for the speediness of Wi-Fi on the plane and only
some airlines offer high speed internet which is
as high as 9.8 Mbps. On the other hand, Li-Fi
could provide more speed than that on each seat
with their reading lights.

Figure 3- Wi-Fi flight connectivity
5. Li-Fi in Hospital and Healthcare
As we all know Wi-Fi is not allowed in operating
rooms because of the high radiations that can be
harmful and could risk human life with prolong
use as Wi-Fi could block signals from the
monitoring equipment. Some hospitals still have
Wi-fi which is contagious for life of patients. Li-
FI can solve this problem as lights are allowed
everywhere.
Figure 4- Li-Fi environment at Hospitals
6. Li-Fi in Submarines
Remotely Operated underwater Vehicles
(ROV)s that are used hugely large cables for their
power supply that enables them to receive signals
from pilots above the sea. However, the tether
that has been utilized in the function of ROV does
not let them discover larger areas. But if the wires
of ROV are substituted with light for example a
submerged lamp of a very high power, so
comparatively larger and deeper area could be
explored. Further, communication could be easier
with the help of a headlamp, hence the data could
5
be processed autonomously and their finding
could send back intermittently to the surface.
Li-Fi is able to work underwater unlikely Wi-Fi
which is useless underwater, which could be
beneficial in military operations and saving our
self from navy operations. Hence in future Li-Fi
can replace Wi-Fi in submarine.
7. Li-Fi in the management of Disaster
In the time of natural disasters like earthquake,
People can easily communicate through Li-Fi
because it utilizes light and is not stymied by
walls or other hindrance while radio frequency is
blocked by walls.
8. Li-Fi in Augmented Reality (AR)
AR has been utilized way more than before. For
better customer services it has been used in
institutions, Wi-Fi in such situations could cause
problem by betting lagged when lots of customers
are connected to it. While if we see Li-Fi which
is obviously faster and could give us incessant
transmission of AR. Adding up to that the other
advantage is that light has already been used in
institution, which is eventually a resourceful use
of energy.
9. Li-Fi in Urban Areas:
Urban areas have already been using great
quantities of LED bulbs and light resources. The
utilization if Li-Fi here is thus very practical. This
will not merely connect lots of users in that area
but will also supply fast data to its clients.
10. Li-Fi in Sensitive Regions
Power plants required quick and interconnected
data systems that necessitate integrity of network
and core temperature (presupposing for power
plant for nuclear) could be observed. For such
sensitive areas radio waves are considered
harmful, thus Li-Fi in such areas can provide safe
and more than enough connectivity also with the
use of Li-Fi the power that was consumed by
radio communication deployment can be tapered.
11. Gadgets Connectivity
Tabs, Laptops, Mobile, TV and other smart
devices can connect with each other without any
trouble.
Figure 5- Gadgets connectivity using Li-Fi
Li-Fi can provide remarkably high rates of data
and more security.
12. Li-Fi as an alternative for other
Technologies
Li-Fi works with the light and does not use radio
waves that are banned in various areas, Hence Li-
Fi could easily be used in areas where Wi-Fi,
Infrared or Bluetooth are barred.
13. Location Based Services (LBS)
Location specific highly accurate information
services like navigation and advertising that are
enables the recipient to receive proper, pertinent
information in a timely manner and location.
The application of Li-Fi is incessant. For now,
more than twenty countries are utilizing Li-Fi
technology. Worldwide utilization of this
substitute to Wi-Fi could bear out to be
innovatory in the future.
V. ADVANTAGES
1. Higher Speed
Li-Fi as compared to the current used technology
Wi-Fi has much better and faster speed and as the
time is passing the use of smart phones, tabs and
laptops are getting much common in use. Thus,
with the passage of time a higher speed of net
6
would be required for all tasks. Li-Fi has the
capacity to transmit up to 100 Mbps or 1Gbps
data, which means one can download videos of
very high definition in seconds.
2. Greater Capacity
Li-Fi has a very high capacity and can keep up
with the demands of coming generation. With the
radio frequency the transmission of data has
limited capacity, thus Li-Fi with high capacity
would help in the transmission of data and is
better than radio waves that has been used in Wi-
Fi.
1. Improved Security
Wi-Fi that has radio waves can pass through a
wall easily and unwanted people could use it and
access to our data but in the case of Li-Fi which
uses lights cannot pass through a wall and signals
remained confined. Hence signals cannot be
intercepted easily and unwanted people won’t be
able to use it.
3. More Competent
As we all have LED light systems installed in our
homes and offices and Li-Fi can work on the
existing lighting system so it is more efficient,
Since LED could give us light and internet at the
same time which is more economical.
4. Free from Intrusion
Unlike Li-Fi, Wi-Fi and its radio waves could be
hindered by neighboring networks and could
cause lagging in the usage of internet but Li-Fi
cannot be intruded by others, thus provide break
free internet usage.
VI. DISADVANTAGES & LIMITATIONS
1. Only work on light source
One of the major disadvantages of Li-Fi is that it
only works in the presence of light and not only
that the light should be uninterrupted and
continuous, one can dim the light but never
switch it off otherwise you would lose the
internet/ connectivity. There are many times we transfer speed of this technology remains
don’t want to switch on the light but use of Li-Fi insignificant until Internet rate from service
will compel to switch the light on. We often use providers enhanced. In regions or countries that
Wi-Fi while sleeping at night when the lights are are infamous for having dawdling Internet rates
switched off, but Li-Fi won’t allow us to switch than their counterpart, installation of a Li-Fi
off the light. network would be pointless. Therefore, it will
take synchronization from a variety of sectors and
2. A range is restricted industries to endorse mass implementation of this
As mentioned in the previous paragraph, Li-Fi is technology.
more secure than Wi-Fi with the restriction in the
range as it cannot penetrate through a wall it is VII. CONCLUSION
both an advantage and a disadvantage, since the Li-Fi is a promising technology and thus it has
restriction in the range would limit the use of Li- immense potential. A lot of study can be
Fi. performed in this field. By now, various scientists
are concerned in broad research in this field. This
3. Interference of Sunlight:
technology will turn out to be one of the leading
As Li-Fi works on light source but the presence
technologies in the coming future. If this
of sunlight of Li-Fi could intrude and weaken the
technology be able to be utilized efficiently, it
signals.
may soon have somewhat the sort of Wi-Fi
hotspots anywhere a light bulb is accessible. It
4. Probable price implication
will be greener and cleaner; the mankind’s future
Installing Li-Fi is hypothetically cheap because
will be secure. As the quantity of available
of the low cost related with the manufacture of
bandwidth is restricted, the airwaves are
LED lamps. Though, setting up cost can be more
becoming more and more clogged, creating it to
costly than the deployment of Wi-Fi because of
be more and trickier to get a high speed and trust
the technology is comparatively new and the
worthy signal. The Li-Fi technology can resolve
requirement remains little and expert technicians
this predicament. Furthermore, it will permit
are still hardly any. The fact that a sole home
internet accessibility in places where internet
requires numerous Li-Fi routers to spread out the
access is not allowed such as aircrafts and
range of the network and the accessibility of
operation theaters.
Internet/NW connectivity could also imply
supplementary purchase and setting up costs.
Researchers are trying to develop LED of micro
Note down that a single Wi-Fi router is sufficient
sized, which are competent to spark on and off
for an average-sized home.
approximately 1000 times faster compared to
bigger LED. Further, Li-Fi will not be limited to
5. Unavailability of attuned Technologies
replacing the wi-fi routers in home and office
It will take duration for Li-Fi to turn out to be
contexts, it might be replacing equipment like
more realistic than Wi-Fi. existing devices such
Base Transceiver Stations (BTS), and similar
as smart phones, tablet, computers and laptops,
infrastructure. Li-Fi is becoming very important
Smart TVs, players still utilize hardware for Wi-
and acquire a position in the “fourth industrial
Fi networking. These devices would not willingly
revolution,” where data has gained a valuable
work with a Li-Fi network as they do not have the
position there. Promoting and researching on Li-
needed hardware stipulation. Li-Fi is not
Fi and use it by industry are the key factors to gain
willingly backward companionable. It is also
the advantages.
significance mentioning that the quicker data

7
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