Li-Fi, the brainchild of the University’s Professor Harald Haas, has the potential to revolutionise the way we get online. Li-Fi is a communications technology that uses light to transmit information digitally, in contrast with Wi-Fi, which uses radio frequency signals. In Li-Fi, a microchip controls a standard LED lightbulb, causing it to flicker millions of times a second. This creates a rapid stream of binary code, invisible to the human eye, which is read by a dongle attached to a laptop or other device, providing internet and other data services at speeds far exceeding conventional Wi-Fi connectivity. Li-Fi can exploit the ubiquity of light sources in urban areas – including street lamps and car headlights. It is ideal for use in hospitals, because it does not emit radio interference that can affect medical instruments. For aviation applications Li-Fi has the advantage that no additional cabling is needed, and it can similarly be installed in underground transport, exploiting lighting that is already in place. The first Li-Fi devices are beginning to appear commercially and are currently being trialled in a variety of applications. This article was published on 2023-11-21
