The newest technology to make our lives easier has arrived, and it’s called Li-Fi. This new form of data transmission uses light to transmit high speed data—unlike current models which send data packets through radio waves. The term Li-Fi, a send up to the term Hi-Fi and its now more popular cousin Wi-Fi, was coined by Edinburgh University Professor Harald Haas, when he demonstrated the new technology at a TED conference in 2011. Even though Li-Fi technology has existed for over four years, Nov. 24, 2105 marked the first time that it was used in a real world setting. The new tech has now been tested in offices and industrial environments in Tallinn, Estonia, with the tested data transmission speed being around one gigabyte-per-second, which is about 100 times faster than an average Wi-Fi connection. Scientists working with the new technology are hoping to bring it to consumers within the next three to four years.
While the news of Li-Fi might have some internet junkies itching to do away with their current modem—or installing extra light fixtures in their home—there are some downsides to this new way to transfer data. Li-Fi is built around visible light communication (VLC) and, unlike radio waves, VLC cannot penetrate walls, which severely limits the range of the new technology.
A different Li-Fi hotspot would have to be available in each room of a house, but the plus side to the short range problem is that networks will be more secure by limiting the range to such a short area. Outdoor hotspots are also out of the question, as natural light sources have the potential to interfere with the new technology.
As with any new technology, large commercial companies are still built around using existing Wi-Fi technology, and must be retrofitted to accommodate this new technological advancement. While retrofitting may be easier to incorporate Li-Fi than it was when wireless internet first arrived onto the scene, it will still hamper the implementation of the new technology in every work space.
A newly formed company, PureLiFi, is hard at work trying to develop Li-Fi technology into a product that can be simple and easy for consumers to use in their homes. PureLiFi is already beta-testing their first product, aptly titled Li1st, to see how Li-Fi will operate in the real world environment.
As Li-Fi technology continues to gain prominence in commercial and consumer markets, expect to see it being used in conjunction with Wi-Fi—not as a complete replacement for the technology. With many experts speculating that Wi-Fi will remain the dominant data transmitter and Li-Fi will be relegated to environments that need a super secure and high fast connection, the future of high speed home internet may be far off, but it sure is bright.