Li-Fi
Li-Fi, short for Light Fidelity is a wireless communication technology similar to Wi-Fi. Li-Fi uses the visible light spectrum with the help of special LED bulbs for data transmission, while Wi-Fi uses radio waves.
Professor Harold Haas from the University of Edinburgh introduced Li-Fi to the world in 2011. Since then, companies have been developing the technology.
How does Li-Fi work?
We all know that binary information is made up of 1's and 0's. Some may consider switching on the LED light as 1 and switching it off as 0. Flicking the light on and off at an imperceptibly fast speed will cause the data to transform into binary code, transmit in the form of light and then turn to data again in our computers or mobiles.
What are the advantages of Li-Fi?
As Li-Fi uses light, it can function without causing electromagnetic interference. Hence it is useful in electromagnetic sensitive areas like aircraft, hospitals or at nuclear power plants. Another advantage is that Li-Fi is 100 times faster than Wi-Fi with speeds of up to 100 Gbps.
What are the disadvantages of Li-Fi?
Li-Fi may be fast but it depends on light visibility, therefore if the path of light is blocked by an opaque surface then the connection will be cut-off. In other words Li-Fi can be used in one room only as light cannot travel through walls. But on the plus side, it is more secure. Also the installation costs are on the higher side although maintenance costs are lower than that of Wi-Fi.
