A few months ago we talked about LiFi, a technology that is set to revolutionise wireless networks. Today we want to take a closer look at possible applications and, on the other hand, the small hurdles that need to be overcome to make it an affordable and effective solution in the short term.
Functioning
The way the network works is very simple. It consists of LED bulbs that turn on and off very quickly, so quickly that it is imperceptible to the human eye. In this way they are transmitting data in a kind of Morse code that is interpreted by the device. LiFi is therefore wireless communication through light.
All experts agree that LiFi technology is going to change everything. By doing the ADSL speed test and multiplying the speed we get by 100, we will be able to realise what these high speeds will mean, which could reach up to more than 1 GB. This means that it will only take a few seconds to download any content or watch any film or series in streaming, however long it may be. What used to take an hour or an hour and a half will take just a minute. Undoubtedly a remarkable difference that will completely revolutionise our way of perceiving the network and consumption within it.
Possible problems
However, this technology also has important complications that mean that its implementation is not yet definitive. One of the most important is that, being light, it is not able to pass through objects. Such a basic premise is sold as an advantage because, unlike the current Wi-Fi network, neighbours would not be able to steal our connection. However, this also presents another problem. That is that any object that gets in the way and shadows between the network and the device will cause us to lose the connection. Experts are already working on a solution to these problems, for example, to work not only with direct light but also with light reflected from walls or other objects.
Although it is claimed that LiFi will be much cheaper than fibre optic or ADSL, so far the first companies willing to market it expect a much higher price: between 200 and 500€ for a house of about 100 m2 according to Pure LiFi, which already markets some basic elements of this technology for offices.
Another of the most eye-catching predictions is that street lamps will be able to provide this connection. This urban LiFi solution has attracted the attention of city councils in cities such as Edinburgh, Bristol and Wolfsburg, so it is likely that in the future we will have a high-speed connection both at home and in the street.
All in all, we are excited about all this because it could bring together solutions for several very interesting fields such as cybersecurity, the evolution of cities towards smartcities and, without a doubt, it would represent a real milestone of innovation in the connection to the Internet through wireless networks.
