Every year on February 11, the United Nations observes the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the day, and the theme is ‘Unpacking STEM Careers: Her Voice in Science’.

Li- Fi: The future of Internet?

23 June, 2018 - 07:35

Imagine streaming a movie through your tube light or accessing the Internet through a street lamp. Light Fidelity (Li-Fi), a new communication system developed by Professor Harald Hass, can actually achieve this!

The existing Wi- Fi systems use radio waves to transfer data.  Li-Fi, on the other hand, uses visible light. A Light Emitting Diode (LED) is used to transfer data by switching it on and off at speeds that are so high that they are invisible to the human eye. A light detector on the receiving device, which could be a laptop or a mobile phone, receives the light signal from the LED and converts it to an electronic signal. For example, the light detector registers a binary one when the LED is on; and a binary zero if the LED is off.

Li-Fi works on existing protocols and does not need a router or a hotspot, unlike Wi-Fi.  It can transmit data at much higher speeds than the existing Wi-Fi systems. Moreover, since light cannot pass through walls, it is thought that Li-Fi signals cannot be easily hacked. But, Li-Fi has certain operational limitations. The light source will have to be kept on to use the network. The Li- Fi range is also smaller than the Wi-Fi range.

The radio-wave spectrum, through which Wi-Fi signal is transmitted, is limited. But, global demand for fast Internet access is increasing every day. Li-Fi could come to the rescue and revolutionize our digital systems. It can ease access to the Internet and help address the existing digital divide.