Li-Fi (Light Fidelity) The future technology In Wireless communication

ABSTRACT
Whether youre using wireless internet in a coffee shop, stealing it from the guy next door, or competing for bandwidth at a conference, you have probably gotten frustrated at the slow speeds you face when more than one device is tapped into the network. As more and more people and their many devices access wireless internet, clogged airwaves are going to make it. One germen phycist.Harald Haas has come up with a solution he calls data through illumination taking the fibber out of fiber optic by sending data through an LED light bulb that varies in intensity faster than the human eye can follow. Its the same idea band behind infrared remote controls but far more powerful. Haas says his invention, which he calls DLIGHT, can produce data rates faster than 10 megabits per second, which is speedier than your average broadband connection. He envisions a future where data for laptops, smart phones, and tablets is transmitted through the light in a room. And security would be snap if you cant see the light, you cant access the data. Li-Fi is a VLC, visible light communication, technology developed by a team of scientists including Dr Gordon Povey, Prof. Harald Haas and Dr Mostafa Afgani at the University of Edinburgh. The term Li-Fi was coined by Prof. Haas when he amazed people by streaming high-definition video from a standard LED lamp, at TED Global in July 2011. Li-Fi is now part of the Visible Light Communications (VLC) PAN IEEE 802.15.7 standard. Li-Fi is typically implemented using white LED light bulbs. These devices are normally used for illumination by applying a constant current through the LED. However, by fast and subtle variations of the current, the optical output can be made to vary at extremely high speeds. Unseen by the human eye, this variation is used to carry highspeed data, says Dr Povey, , Product Manager of the University of Edinburgh's Li-Fi Program D-Light Project.

INTRODUCTION
LiFi is transmission of data through illumination by taking the fiber out of fiber optics by sending data through a LED light bulb that varies in intensity faster than the human eye can follow.Li-Fi is the term some have used to label the fast and cheap wireless communication system, which is the optical version of Wi-Fi. The term was first used in this context by Harald Haas in his TED Global talk on Visible Light Communication. At the heart of this technology is a new generation of high brightness light-emitting diodes, says Harald Haas from the University of Edinburgh, UK, Very simply, if the LED is on, you transmit a digital 1, if its off you transmit a 0,Haas says, They can be switched on and off very quickly, which gives nice opportunities for transmitted data.It is possible to encode data in the light by varying the rate at which the LEDs flicker on and off to give different strings of 1s and 0s.The LED intensity is modulated so rapidly that human eye cannot notice, so the output appears constant. More sophisticated techniques could dramatically increase VLC data rate. Terms at the University of Oxford and the University of Edingburgh are focusing on parallel data transmission using array of LEDs, where each LED transmits a different data stream. Other group are using mixtures of red, green and blue LEDs to alter the light frequency encoding a different data channel. Li-Fi, as it has been dubbed, has already achieved blisteringly high speed in the lab. Researchers at the Heinrich Hertz Institute in Berlin, Germany, have reached data rates of over 500 megabytes per second using a standard white-light LED. The technology was demonstrated at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas using a pair of Casio smart phones to exchange data using light of varying intensity given off from their screens, detectable at a distance of up to ten metres. Light is inherently safe and can be used in places where radio frequency communication is often deemed problematic, such as in aircraft cabins or hospitals. So visible light communication not only has the potential to solve the problem of lack of spectrum space, but can also enable novel application. The visible light spectrum is unused; it's not regulated, and can be used for communication at very high speeds.

Fig.1 Li-Fi environment

In October 2011 a number of companies and industry groups formed the Li-Fi Consortium, to promote high-speed optical wireless systems and to overcome the limited amount of radiobased wireless spectrum available by exploiting a completely different part of the electromagnetic spectrum. The consortium believes it is possible to achieve more than 10 Gbps, theoretically allowing a high-definition film to be downloaded in 30 seconds.

WORKING TECHNOLOGY
This brilliant idea was first showcased by Harald Haas from University of Edinburgh, UK, in his TED Global talk on VLC. He explained, Very simple, if the LED is on, you transmit a digital 1, if its off you transmit a 0. The LEDs can be switched on and off very quickly, which gives nice opportunities for transmitting data. So what you require at all are some LEDs and a controller that code data into those LEDs. We have to just vary the rate at which the LEDs flicker depending upon the data we want to encode. Further enhancements

can be made in this method, like using an array of LEDs for parallel data transmission, or using mixtures of red, green and blue LEDs to alter the lights frequency with each frequency encoding a different data channel. Such advancements promise a theoretical speed of 10 Gbps meaning you can download a full high-definition film in just 30 seconds. Simply awesome! But blazingly fast data rates and depleting bandwidths worldwide are not the only reasons that give this technology an upper hand. Since Li-Fi uses just the light, it can be used safely in aircrafts and hospitals that are prone to interference from radio waves. This can even work underwater where Wi-Fi fails completely, thereby throwing open endless opportunities for military operations.

Imagine only needing to hover under a street lamp to get public internet access, or downloading a movie from the lamp on your desk. There's a new technology on the block which could, quite literally as well as metaphorically, 'throw light on' how to meet the everincreasing demand for high-speed wireless connectivity. Radio waves are replaced by light waves in a new method of data transmission which is being called Li-Fi.Light-emitting diodes can be switched on and off faster than the human eye can detect, causing the light source to appear to be on continuously. A flickering light can be incredibly annoying, but has turned out to have its upside, being precisely what makes it possible to use light for wireless data transmission. Light-emitting diodes (commonly referred to as LEDs and found in traffic and street lights, car brake lights, remote control units and countless other applications) can be switched on and off faster than the human eye can detect, causing the light source to appear to be on continuously, even though it is in fact 'flickering'. This invisible on-off activity enables a kind of data transmission using binary codes: switching on an LED is a logical '1', switching it off is a logical '0'. Information can therefore be encoded in the light by varying the rate at which the LEDs flicker on and off to give different strings of 1s and 0s. This method of using rapid pulses of light to transmit information wirelessly is technically referred to as Visible Light Communication (VLC), though its potential to compete with conventional Wi-Fi has inspired the popular characterization Li-Fi.

Visible light communication (VLC)-A potential solution to the global wireless spectrum shortage
LiFi (Light Fidelity) is a fast and cheap optical version of Wi-Fi, the technology of which is based on Visible Light Communication (VLC).VLC is a data communication medium, which uses visible light between 400 THz (780 nm) and 800 THz (375 nm) as optical carrier for data transmission and illumination. It uses fast pulses of light to transmit information wirelessly. The main components of this communication system are 1) a high brightness white LED, Which acts as a communication source and 2) a silicon photodiode which shows good response to visible wavelength region serving as the receiving element? LED can be switched on and off to generate digital strings of 1s and 0s. Data can be encoded in the light to generate a new data stream by varying the flickering rate of the LED. To be clearer, by modulating the LED light with the data signal, the LED illumination can be used as a communication source. As the flickering rate is so fast, the LED output appears constant to the human eye. A data rate of greater than 100 Mbps is possible by using high speed LEDs with appropriate multiplexing techniques. VLC. data rate can be increased by parallel data transmission using LED arrays where each LED transmits a different data stream. There are reasons to prefer LED as the light source in VLC while a lot of other illumination devices like fluorescent lamp, incandescent bulb etc. are available.

Fig 2.Data transmission using LED

COMPARISION BETWEEN Li-Fi & Wi-Fi

LI-FI is a term of one used to describe visible light communication technology applied to high speed wireless communication. It acquired this name due to the similarity to WI-FI, only using light instead of radio.WI-FI is great for general wireless coverage within buildings, and li-fi is ideal for high density wireless data coverage in confined area and for relieving radio interference issues, so the two technologies can be considered complimentary.

Table 1.Comparison between current and future wireless technology

The table also contains the current wireless technologies that can be used for transferring data between devices today, i.e. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and IrDA. Only Wi-Fi currently offers very high data rates. The IEEE 802.11.n in most implementations provides up to 150Mbit/s (in theory the standard can go to 600Mbit/s) although in practice you receive considerably less than this. Note that one out of three of these is an optical technology.

How it is different?
Li-Fi technology is based on LEDs for the transfer of data. The transfer of the data can be with the help of all kinds of light, no matter the part of the spectrum that they belong. That is, the light can belong to the invisible, ultraviolet or the visible part of the spectrum. Also, the speed of the internet is incredibly high and you can download movies, games, music etc in just a few minutes with the help of this technology. Also, the technology removes limitations that have been put on the user by the Wi-Fi. You no more need to be in a region that is Wi-Fi enabled to have access to the internet. You can simply stand under any form of light and surf the internet as the connection is made in case of any light presence. There cannot be anything better than this technology.

Fig 3.Working and advantages

APPLICATION OF LI-FI:You Might Just Live Longer

For a long time, medical technology has lagged behind the rest of the wireless world. Operating rooms do not allow Wi-Fi over radiation concerns, and there is also that whole lack of dedicated spectrum. While Wi-Fi is in place in many hospitals, interference from cell phones and computers can block signals from monitoring equipment. Li-Fi solves both problems: lights are not only allowed in operating rooms, but tend to be the most glaring (pun intended) fixtures in the room. And, as Haas mentions in his TED Talk, Li-Fi has 10,000 times the spectrum of Wi-Fi, so maybe we can, I dont know, delegate red light to priority medical data. Code Red!

Airlines:
Airline Wi-Fi. Ugh. Nothing says captive audience like having to pay for the "service" of dial-up speed Wi-Fi on the plane. And dont get me started on the pricing. The best Ive heard so far is that passengers will "soon" be offered a "high-speed like" connection on some airlines. United is planning on speeds as high as 9.8 Mbps per plane. Uh, I have twice that capacity in my living room. And at the same price as checking a bag, I expect it. Li-Fi could easily introduce that sort of speed to each seat's reading light. Ill be the guy wowing next to you. Its better than listening to you tell me about your wildly successful son, maam.

Smarter Power Plants:

Wi-Fi and many other radiation types are bad for sensitive areas. Like those surrounding power plants. But power plants need fast, inter-connected data systems to monitor things like demand, grid integrity and (in nuclear plants) core temperature. The savings from proper monitoring at a single power plant can add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Li-Fi could offer safe, abundant connectivity for all areas of these sensitive locations. Not only would this save money related to currently implemented solutions, but the draw on a power plants own reserves could be lessened if they havent yet converted to LED lighting.

Undersea Awesomeness:

Underwater ROVs, those favorite toys of treasure seekers and James Cameron, operate from large cables that supply their power and allow them to receive signals from their pilots above. ROVs work great, except when the tether isnt long enough to explore an area, or when it gets stuck on something. If their wires were cut and replaced with light say from a submerged, high-powered lamp then they would be much freer to explore. They could also use their headlamps to communicate with each other, processing data autonomously and referring findings periodically back to the surface, all the while obtaining their next batch of orders.

It Could Keep You Informed and Save Lives

Say theres an earthquake in New York. Or a hurricane. Take your pick its a wacky city. The average New Yorker may not know what the protocols are for those kinds of disasters. Until they pass under a street light, that is. Remember, with Li-Fi, if theres light, youre online. Subway stations and tunnels, common dead zones for most emergency communications, pose no obstruction. Plus, in times less stressing cities could opt to provide cheap high-speed Web access to every street corner.

USES IN VARIOUS AREAS

Can be used in the places where it is difficult to lay the optical fiber like hospitals. In operation theatre LiFi can be used for modern medical instruments. In traffic signals LiFi can be used which will communicate with the LED lights of the cars and accident numbers can be decreased. Thousand and millions of street lamps can be transferred to LiFi lamps to transfer data. In aircraft LiFi can be used for data transmission. It can be used in petroleum or chemical plants where other transmission or frequencies could be hazardous.

Genesis of LI-FI:
Harald Haas, a professor at the University of Edinburgh who began his research in the field in 2004, gave a debut demonstration of what he called a Li-Fi prototype at the TED Global conference in Edinburgh on 12th July 2011. He used a table lamp with an LED bulb to transmit a video of blooming flowers that was then projected onto a screen behind him. During the event he periodically blocked the light from lamp to prove that the lamp was indeed the source of incoming data. At TED Global, Haas demonstrated a data rate of transmission of around 10Mbps -- comparable to a fairly good UK broadband connection. Two months later he achieved 123Mbps.

How it is different?
Li-Fi technology is based on LEDs for the transfer of data. The transfer of the data can be with the help of all kinds of light, no matter the part of the spectrum that they belong. That is, the light can belong to the invisible, ultraviolet or the visible part of the spectrum. Also, the speed of the internet is incredibly high and you can download movies, games, music etc in just a few minutes with the help of this technology.

Also, the technology removes limitations that have been put on the user by the Wi-Fi. You no more need to be in a region that is Wi-Fi enabled to have access to the internet. You can simply stand under any form of light and surf the internet as the connection is made in case of any light presence. There cannot be anything better than this technology.

To further get a grasp of Li-Fi consider an IR remote. It sends a single data stream of bits at the rate of 10,000-20,000 bps. Now replace the IR LED with a Light Box containing a large LED array.

History:
Professor Harald Haas, from the University of Edinburgh in the UK, is widely recognised as the original founder of Li-Fi. He coined the term Li-Fi and is Chair of Mobile Communications at the University of Edinburgh and co-founder of pureLiFi. The general term visible light communication (VLC), includes any use of the visible light portion of the electromagnetic spectrum to transmit information. The D-Light project at

Edinburgh's Institute for Digital Communications was funded from January 2010 to January 2012. Haas promoted this technology in his 2011TED Global talk and helped start a company to market it. PureLiFi, formerly pureVLC, is an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) firm set up to commercialize Li-Fi products for integration with existing LED-lighting systems. In October 2011, companies and industry groups formed the Li-Fi Consortium, to promote high-speed optical wireless systems and to overcome the limited amount of radio-based wireless spectrum available by exploiting a completely different part of the electromagnetic spectrum. A number of companies offer uni-directional VLC products which is not the same as Li-Fi. VLC technology was exhibited in 2012 using Li-Fi. By August 2013, data rates of over 1.6 Gbps were demonstrated over a single color LED. In September 2013, a press release said that Li-Fi, or VLC systems in general, do not require line-of-sight conditions. In October 2013, it was reported Chinese manufacturers were working on Li-Fi development kits. One part of VLC is modeled after communication protocols established by

the IEEE workgroup. However, the IEEE 802.15.7 standard is out-of-date. Specifically, the standard fails to consider the latest technological developments in the field of optical wireless communications, specifically with the introduction of optical orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (O-OFDM) modulation methods which have been optimized for data rates, multiple-access and energy efficiency have. The introduction of O-OFDM means that a new drive for standardization of optical wireless communications is required. Nonetheless, the IEEE 802.15.7 standard defines the physical layer (PHY) and media access control (MAC) layer. The standard is able to deliver enough data rates to transmit audio, video and multimedia services. It takes into account the optical transmission mobility, its compatibility with artificial lighting present in infrastructures, the devience which may be caused by interference generated by the ambient lighting. The MAC layer allows to use the link with the other layers like the TCP/IP protocol. The standard defines three PHY layers with different rates:

The PHY I was established for outdoor application and works from 11.67 kbit/s to 267.6 kbit/s.

The PHY II layer allows to reach data rates from 1.25 Mbit/s to 96 Mbit/s.

The PHY III is used for many emissions sources with a particular modulation method called color shift keying (CSK). PHY III can deliver rates from 12 Mbit/s to 96 Mbit/s.

The modulation formats recognized for PHY I and PHY II are the coding on-off keying (OOK) and variable pulse position modulation (VPPM). The Manchester coding used for the PHY I and PHY II layers include the clock inside the transmitted data by representing a logic 0 with an OOK symbol "01" and a logic 1 with an OOK symbol "10", all with a DC component. The DC component avoids the light extinction in case of an extended line of logic 0. The first Li-Fi smartphone prototype was presented at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas from January 710 in 2014. The phone uses Sun Partners Wysips CONNECT, a technique that converts light waves into usable energy, making the phone capable of receiving and decoding signals without drawing on its battery.

Li-Fi, or light fidelity, refers to 5G visible light communication systems using light from light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as a medium to deliver networked, mobile, high-speed communication in a similar manner as Wi-Fi. Li-Fi could lead to the Internet of Things, which is everything electronic being connected to the internet, with the LED lights on the electronics being used as internet access points. The Li-Fi market is projected to have a compound of 82% from 2013 to 2018 and to be worth over $6 billion per year by 2018. Visible light communications (VLC) signals work by switching bulbs on and off within nanoseconds, which is too quickly to be noticed by the human eye. Although Li-Fi bulbs would have to be kept on to transmit data, the bulbs could be dimmed to the point that they were not visible to humans and yet still functional. The light waves cannot penetrate walls which makes a much shorter range, though more secure from hacking, relative to WiFi. Direct line of sight isn't necessary for Li-Fi to transmit signal and light reflected off of the walls can achieve 70 Mbps.

Li-Fi has the advantage of being able to be used in electromagnetic sensitive areas such as in aircraft cabins, hospitals and nuclear power plants[citation causing electromagnetic interference. Both Wi-Fi and Li-Fi transmit
needed]

without over

data

the electromagnetic spectrum, but whereas Wi-Fi utilises radio waves, Li-Fi uses visible light. While the US Federal Communications Commission has warned of a potential spectrum crisis because Wi-Fi is close to full capacity, Li-Fi has almost no limitations on capacity. The visible light spectrum is 10,000 times larger than the entire radio frequency spectrum. Researchers have reached data rates of over 10 Gbps, which is more than 250 times faster than superfast broadband. Li-Fi is expected to be ten times cheaper and more environmentally friendly than Wi-Fi. Short range, low reliability and high installation costs are the potential downsides.

'Li-fi' via LED light bulb data speed break through

UK researchers say they have achieved data transmission speeds of 10Gbit/s via "li-fi" wireless internet connectivity using light. The researchers used a micro-LED light bulb to transmit 3.5Gbit/s via each of the three primary colours - red, green, blue - that make up white light. This means over 10Gbit/s is possible. Li-fi is an emerging technology that could see specialised LED lights bulbs providing low-cost wireless internet connectivity almost everywhere.

Micro-LEDs can transmit large amounts of digital data in parallel

High speed
The research, known as the ultra-parallel visible light communications project, is a joint venture between the universities of Edinburgh, St Andrews, Strathclyde, Oxford, and Cambridge, and funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

The tiny micro-LED bulbs, developed by the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, allow streams of light to be beamed in parallel, each multiplying the amount of data that can be transmitted at any one time. "If you think of a shower head separating water out into parallel streams, that's how we can make light behave," said Prof Harald Haas, an expert in optical wireless communications at the University of Edinburgh and one of the project leaders. Using a digital modulation technique called Orthogonal Frequency Divisional Multiplexing (OFDM), researchers enabled micro-LED light bulbs to handle millions of changes in light intensity per second, effectively behaving like an extremely fast on/off switch. This allows large chunks of binary data - a series of ones and zeros - to be transmitted at high speed. Earlier this year, Germany's Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute claimed that data rates of up to 1Gbit/s per LED light frequency were possible in laboratory conditions. And this month, Chinese scientists reportedly developed a microchipped LED bulb that can produce data speeds of up to 150 megabits per second (Mbps), with one bulb providing internet connectivity for four computers.

'Light fidelity'
Prof Harald Haas has been in the forefront of "li-fi" research for the last 10 years In 2011, Prof Haas demonstrated how an LED bulb equipped with signal processing technology could stream a high-definition video to a computer. He coined the term "light fidelity" or li-fi - also known as visual light communications (VLC) - and set up a private company, PureVLC, to exploit the technology. Li-fi promises to be cheaper and more energy-efficient than existing wireless radio systems given the ubiquity of LED bulbs and the fact that lighting infrastructure is already in place. Visible light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum and its bandwidth is 10,000 times bigger than the radio frequency spectrum used by existing communication systems, affording vastly greater capacity. Another advantage, Prof Haas argues, is that evenly spaced LED

transmitters could provide much more localised and consistent internet connectivity throughout buildings.

The disadvantage of traditional wi-fi routers is that the signal weakens the further you are away from it, leading to inconsistent connectivity within offices and homes. Prof Haas also believes light's inability to penetrate walls makes VLC technology potentially more secure than traditional wi-fi connectivity.

LED light bulb 'li-fi' closer, say Chinese scientists

If "li-fi" technology takes off, all LED lights could potentially provide internet connectivity. Wi-fi connectivity from a light bulb - or "li-fi" - has come a step closer, according to Chinese scientists. A microchipped bulb can produce data speeds of up to 150 megabits per second (Mbps), Chi Nan, IT professor at Shanghai's Fudan University told Xinhua News.

A one-watt LED light bulb would be enough to provide net connectivity to four computers, researchers say. But experts told the BBC more evidence was needed to back up the claims. There are no supporting video or photos showing the technology in action. Li-fi, also known as visible light communications (VLC), at these speeds would be faster and cheaper - than the average Chinese broadband connection. In 2011, Prof Harald Haas, an expert in optical wireless communications at the University of Edinburgh, demonstrated how an LED bulb equipped with signal processing technology could stream a high-definition video to a computer. He coined the term "light fidelity" or li-fi and set up a private company, PureVLC, to exploit the technology. "We're just as surprised as everyone else by this announcement," PureVLC spokesman Nikola Serafimovski told the BBC. "But how valid this is we don't know without seeing more evidence. We remain sceptical." This year, the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute claimed that data rates of up to 1Gbit/s per LED light frequency were possible in laboratory conditions, making one bulb with three colours potentially capable of transmitting data at up to 3Gbit/s.

Edinburgh University's Prof Harald Haas coined the term "li-fi"

Unlimited capacity
Li-fi promises to be cheaper and more energy-efficient than existing wireless radio systems given the ubiquity of LED bulbs and the fact that lighting infrastructure is already in place. Visible light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum and 10,000 times bigger than the radio spectrum, affording potentially unlimited capacity. But there are drawbacks: block the light and you block the signal. However, this is also a potential advantage from a security point of view. Light cannot penetrate walls as radio signals can, so drive-by hacking of wireless internet signals would be far more difficult, if not impossible. Prof Chi's research team includes scientists from the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the report says. She admitted that the technology was still in its infancy and needed further developments in microchip design and optical communication controls before it could go mass market. Her team is hoping to show off sample li-fi kits at the China International Industry Fair in Shanghai on 5 November, the report said.

How LIFI Light Sources Work

INTRODUCTION
LIFI is a new class of high intensity light source of solid state design bringing clean lighting solutions to general and specialty lighting. With energy efficiency, long useful lifetime, full spectrum and dimming, LIFI lighting applications work better compared to conventional approaches. This technology brief describes the general construction of LIFI lighting systems and the basic technology building blocks behind their function.

LIFI CONSTRUCTION
The LIFI product consists of 4 primary sub-assemblies: Bulb RF power amplifier circuit (PA) Printed circuit board (PCB) Enclosure The PCB controls the electrical inputs and outputs of the lamp and houses the microcontroller used to manage different lamp functions. An RF (radio-frequency) signal is generated by the solid-state PA and is guided into an electric field about the bulb. The high concentration of energy in the electric field vaporizes the contents of the bulb to a plasma state at the bulbs center; this controlled plasma generates an intense source of light. All of these subassemblies are contained in an aluminum enclosure.

FUNCTION OF THE BULB SUB-ASSEMBLY

At the heart of LIFI is the bulb sub-assembly where a sealed bulb is embedded in a dielectric material. This design is more reliable than conventional light sources that insert degradable electrodes into the bulb. The dielectric material serves two purposes; first as a wave guide for the RF energy transmitted by the PA and second as an electric field

concentrator that focuses energy in the bulb. The energy from the electric field rapidly heats the material in the bulb to a plasma state that emits light of high intensity and full spectrum. The LIFI product consists of 4 primary sub-assemblies: Bulb RF power amplifier circuit (PA) Printed circuit board (PCB) Enclosure

The PCB controls the electrical inputs and outputs of the lamp and houses the microcontroller used to manage different lamp functions.

Application of LiFi (Light Fidelity) Technology

Li-Fi found its application in Airways, Green information technology, multi user communication, Underwater ROV etc. and has many advantages which are discussed in this project report. Use this report on LiFi only for your study and reference purpose.

The design and construction of the LIFI light source enable efficiency, long stable life, full spectrum intensity that is digitally controlled and easy to use.

PRESENT SCENARIO:
We have 1.4 million cellular radio waves base stations deployed. We also have over 5 billions of mobile phones. Mobile phone transmits more than 600TBb of data. Wireless communication has become a utility like electricity & water. We use it in everyday life, in our private life, business life.

Currently wifi uses Radio waves for communication. It is important to look into this technology which has become fundamental to our
life.

Four Issues with Radio Waves: 1. Capacity:

We transmit wireless data through radio waves. Radio waves are limited, scar and expensive. We only have a certain range of it.

With the advent of the new generation technologies as of

likes of 2.5G, 3G, 4G and so on we are running out of spectrum.

2. Efficiency:
There are 1.4 million cellular radio base stations. They consume massive amount of energy. Most of this energy is not used for transmission but for cooling down the base stations. Efficiency of such a base station is only 5% and that raise a very big problem.

3. Availability:
We have to switch off our mobiles in aeroplanes. It is not advisable to use mobiles at places like petrochemical plants and petrol pumps. Availability of radio waves causes another concern.

4. Security:
Radio waves penetrate through walls. They can be intercepted. If someone has knowledge and bad intentions then he may misuse it.

5. Alternative to Radio waves in Electromagnetic Spectrum:

So there are four major concerns i.e., capacity, efficiency, availability, security related with Radio waves. But on the other hand we have 40 billions of light box already installed and light is part of electromagnetic spectrum.

So lets look up at this in context of EM spectrum.

Gamma rays are simply very dangerous and thus cant be used for our purpose of communication. X-rays are good in hospital and cant be used either. Ultra-violet rays are sometimes good for our skin but for long duration it is dangerous. Infra-red rays are bad for our eyes and are therefore used at low power levels. We have already seen shortcomings of radio waves.

So we are left with only Visible light spectrum.

LI-FI HAS AN UPPERHAND DUE TO PARALLEL DATA TRANSMISSION

Conclusion:

The possibilities are numerous and can be explored further. If his technology can be put into practical use, every bulb can be used something like a Wi-Fi hotspot to transmit wireless data and we will proceed toward the cleaner, greener, safer and brighter future. The concept of Li-Fi is currently attracting a great deal of interest, not least because it may offer a genuine and very efficient alternative to radio-based wireless. As a growing number of people and their many devices access wireless internet, the airwaves are becoming increasingly clogged, making it more and more difficult to get a reliable, highspeed signal. This may solve issues such as the shortage of radio-frequency bandwidth and also allow internet where traditional radio based wireless isnt allowed such as aircraft or hospitals. One of the shortcomings however is that it only work in direct line of sight.

REFERENCES
[1] seminarprojects.com/s/seminar-report-on-lifi [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li-Fi [3] http://teleinfobd.blogspot.in/2012/01/what-is-lifi.html [4] technopits.blogspot.comtechnology.cgap.org/2012/01/11/a-lifi-world/ [5] www.lificonsortium.org/ [6] the-gadgeteer.com/2011/08/29/li-fi-internet-at-thespeed-of-light/ [7] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li-Fi [8] www.macmillandictionary.com/buzzword/entries/Li- Fi.html [9] dvice.com/archives/2012/08/lifi-ten-ways-i.php [10] Will Li-Fi be the new Wi-Fi?, New Scientist, by Jamie Condliffe, dated 28 July 2011 [11] http://www.digplanet.com/wiki/Li-Fi [12] Visible-light communication: Tripping the light fantastic: A fast and cheap optical version of Wi-Fi is coming, Economist, dated 28Jan 2012.