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Abstract — Important research efforts have been directed include LiFi [3]. LiFi consists of a complete wireless network
over the past ten years, towards exploring alternative parts system which includes bi-directional multiuser communication,
of the electromagnetic spectrum that could potentially also involving multiple access points forming the wireless
offload a large portion of the network traffic from the network of very small optical attocells with seamless handover
overcrowded radio frequency (RF) domain. Due to the [4]. LiFi is meant to replace, in certain places and situations,
latest improvements, the optical wireless communication the well-known overcrowded and/or forbidden communication
(OWC) proves to be a viable alternative solution to the by radio waves. LiFi uses light emitting diodes (LEDs) to
issues of forthcoming radio frequency RF spectrum crisis, transmit data. As literature reveals, the VLC concept was
especially in certain places and situations. Currently, most launched for the first time in 2003 at Japan’s M. Nakagawa
mobile data traffic is consumed indoor, where light fidelity Laboratories; VLC ID System Development Kit has been
(LiFi) which is related to visible light communication (VLC) available there since 2012. [5]. Their mainly conducted
offers lots of specific advantages, and effective solutions to research is now underwater VLC. Professor Harald Hass from
the many issues of wireless communication. The current the University of Edinburgh coined the “LiFi” VLC
paper summarizes most of the research, developments and technology, at a 2011 TED Talk, and due to the practical
applications achieved so far and looks at the different demonstration conducted, the concept being compared with
aspects of the strengths and weaknesses, implementations, Wi-Fi, led to be appreciated and scattered quite fast. His lecture
challenges, VLC IEEE standard and data modulation has today more than 2,45 million views, which proves the
techniques of the VLC and specific LiFi’s new coined world wide high interest of the issue.
optical wireless communication technology.
Due to Harald Hass’ talk, many technical and commercial
Keywords - OWC, VLC, LiFi, modulation techniques achievements have been noticed: one of the most interesting,
Velmenni, which is a high-tech hardware startup based out of
I. OVERVIEW OF LIFI Delhi and Tartu, Estonia on January 2014. Currently, Velmenni
creates VLC links that can broadcast data at high speed, up to
Optical frequency range starts from 300 GHz and reaches
20 meters and also work on applications in aviation. Their
30 PHz (Peta Hertz); this includes infrared, visible and
project will be applied to the Australian Airbus BizLab. Airbus
ultraviolet bands - a spectral range that is huge, comparable to
considered the weight savings of LiFi over Wi-Fi and wired
the 300 GHz that the RF band represents.
equipment like seatback screens to be important. European
scientists from Germany, Greece, France, Italy, Austria,
Slovenia and the UK were part of the OMEGA consortium who
reached to transfer data at a rate of 100 Mbit/s by using 16
LEDs in the ceiling that light up more than 10 square meters’
demo at ORANGE Labs, in February, 2011 [6].
The UK consortium EPSRC (Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council) funded by UK universities led by
the University of Strathclyde developed tiny, micron-sized
Figure 1. Electromagnetic spectrum LEDs which offer many major advantages: first, they flicker on
Figure 1 shows part of the electromagnetic spectrum with and off 1,000 times quicker than the larger LEDs, being able to
the optical range pointed out. Significant technical and transmit data more quickly and second, 1,000 micron-sized
operational advantages are offered by optical wireless LEDs fit into the space occupied by a single larger 1mm. Each
communication (OWC) systems, such as low power of these tiny LEDs act as a separate communication channel
requirements, much larger bandwidth capacity, strong security, [7]. In 2011, venture-funded startup company ByteLight
robustness to electromagnetic interference and tolerant launched its project of indoor location services using VLC and
spectrum. OWC can be applied on a large domain of few years later, on 2015, their patent portfolio and other
communication applications, beginning with millimeters range intellectual property (IP) were acquired by Acuity. During the
interconnected within integrated circuits through outdoor same period of time, the USA company, LVX System launched
kilometers links [1]. Visible light communication (VLC) has its commercial product and then, in 2015 entered into a Space
emerged as point–to–point data communication technique, Act Agreement (SAA) with NASA to research and develop for
which lead to early standardization activities as part of IEEE use on NASA missions including future journeys to deep space.
802.15.7. [2]. This standard is actually still being revised to
The USA’s company, Qualcomm presented in 2016 its consider this new technology’s speed as the most important
developed Lumicast project, a positioning system based on strength. Then, security, low cost, lack of electromagnetic smog
VLC. This technology is able to support a broad range of and therefore safe for human use, more energy friendly are some
indoor positioning applications in commercial, office and other strengths that worth being considered.
industrial settings, and has been adopted by leading players in
the LED lighting ecosystem such as Acuity Brands [8]. High Speed - Data rates of 1 Gbps has been reported using
single phosphor-coated white LEDs [13]; later 3.4 Gbps has
The Japanese company Outstanding Technology launched been demonstrated with an off-the-shelf red-green-blue
on 2016 their products realizing high security and (RGB) LED [14]. Researchers of the University of Edinburgh
electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and high accuracy reported 3.5 Gbps from a single color incoherent LED [15].
positioning information platform for smartphones/tablets using Haas’s team planned commercial speeds of up to 100 Gbps,
LED lighting. The Indians students of Mangalore Institute of this speed being achievable for LiFi when the whole visible
Technology and Engineering in Moodabidri, demonstrated
spectrum is utilized [16]. The University of Oxford LiFi
transmission of data through light sources and won the third
researchers hit 224 Gbps in lab conditions (at this speed, one
prize at the 7th Annual Edition of UNISYS All India Project
Competition Cloud 20/20, in 2016. They used in their project, minute is enough to download five high definition movies)
three colors Triplet LiFi, each color carrying different data [17]. Recent studies have demonstrated data rates of 14 Gbps
streams. The Switzerland team Disney Research presented for LiFi using three off⁃the⁃shelf RGB laser diodes [18]. 42.8
VLC applications in clothes for children and toys [9] as well as Gbit/s has been achieved for indoor OWC with 2-dimensional
an indoor VLC system based on networked light bulbs [10]. optical beam-steering, on 2015 [19].
OpenVLC project aims to develop open-source, software-
defined technology being focused on developing concepts like
LiFi, built around a credit-card-sized embedded Linux platform
with a LED front-end [11]. The British company pureLiFi,
launch the Li-1st, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona
in 2014 and plans to make LiFi commercially available systems
created in partnership with LED maker Lucibel. This system
consists of a modulator that connects to the lighting fixture and
a USB dongle to connect a television display or computer. It
also announced deal with Apple, which would let iPhones use
LiFi via the onboard camera. The Dubai-based operator Du, in
conjunction with company Zero.1, recently demonstrated how
LiFi hotspots can be set up to provide internet access.
Other important developer, the France’s Oledcomm,
deployed LiFi products in the market: they equipped in 2012 a Figure 2. LIFI’s strengths and weaknesses
museum in Europe and deployed in retail (Leclerc) and Paris Security - LiFi optical signals are not able to penetrate walls,
Metro. On 21st of May 2015, Carrefour, with the aid of Philips this being an advantage in relation to security issues. The same
installed in a hypermarket in Lille a LiFi system, which allow its feature can be exploited to eliminate interferences between
customers to locate the products in promotion. In April 2014, neighboring cells. During the last ten years, there have been
RiT Technologies, a subdivision of the Russian company Stins continuous reports of improved point-to-point link data rates
Coman developed this optical technology and launched the using off-the-shelf white LEDs under experimental lab
BeamCaster project. The main part of the network is a router conditions [14].
that is capable of transmitting a signal using a light beam at a
distance of up to 7-8 meters. Eight devices transmit at once the Low cost - In certain cases, LiFi’s implementation can be
signal in other parts of an office on a speed of 1.25 GBps. The cheaper than other communication technologies [20].
Mexico software development company Sisoft reached 10 Low energy consumption - Taking into account that, usually,
Gbps data transfer ration across a light spectrum emitted by indoors lights are ON most of the time, the energy used for
LED lamps [12] and caught up with Scottish research team communication would practically be zero as a result of the
headed by Harald Haas in achieving 10Gbps Internet data piggybacking of data on illumination. Energy efficient intensity
transmission being able to transmit audio, video and Internet modulation (IM) techniques allow data communication even if
data using light emitted by LED lamps. There is even an the lights are visually off [18], [21].
Arduino code on GitHub for makers to build VLC systems at No electromagnetic smog - Since LiFi uses visible light
home. Global corporations like Philips, Toshiba, Samsung, GE, spectrum (VLS) that it is unimpeded by RF interference and
LG, Innotek, Panasonic, Sharp, Cisco, Rolls Royce, Airbus and therefore generates no electromagnetic smog. This makes it an
Acuity Brands subsidiary eldoLED are working on “internet of increasingly attractive option where electromagnetic
lights” (IoL) technology and applications, as well. interference become dangerous for intrinsically hazardous
II. LIFI’S STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES environments, such as refineries, oil platforms and petrol
stations, near MRI medical equipment, airplanes or electrical
LiFi, as a potential substitute of Wi-Fi radio waves looming transformer stations.
congestion and wireless dead zones, has strengths and
weaknesses that put it in competition with other industry
specific technologies like RFID and iBeacons. First of all, we
Safe for health - The technology could even find a niche with heating systems, TV’s, clocks and so on to reduce energy
consumers who are aware and affected by the adverse effects of consumptions for an intelligent energy management.
electromagnetic radiation.
Smart lighting: Public lighting can be used to provide LiFi
License free bandwidth - The visible light spectrum includes hotspots and monitoring lighting and data can be used to the
hundreds of THz of license free bandwidth, 10,000 times more same communications and sensor infrastructure [23].
than the entire RF spectrum. On the other side of the balance,
there are still some weaknesses of the LiFi’s technology Vehicle and traffic lights: LED devices can be installed as
developed so far. headlights and tail-lights developing an intelligent transport
system. Traffic lights can also move to LED with the benefit of
Distance and interferences – One of the limitations is road safety and traffic control.
distance, usually no more than 10 meters away without
interference by artificial light or bright sunlight. LiFi cannot be Underwater: Light propagate underwater where radio
used in direct sunlight (or other odd conditions with harsh frequencies cannot be used because of salty, high conductivity
lighting) since the photodetectors won’t be able to detect the and high attenuation environment. Since cables creates threads
modulating light waves. However, Velmenni’s and Haas’s in communication undersea water, can be replaced with LiFi
demos have shown that LiFi works with some amount of transmitters. Also they can send data to submarines, to surface
ambient lighting. as well as to divers with their head lights.
No standard yet. LiFi has no standard yet, so equipment from In health surveillance: The wearable LiFi transmitter like
one vendor won’t work with another`s. LED bracelets, ear rings, wrist watches and so on, allow
continuously monitoring individual state of health providing
III. APPLICATIONS OF LIFI instant notice to family’ doctor of any significant changes
Many areas where LiFi system provide a reliable, secure, occurred in health condition by connecting to the internet and
cheaper and ultra-high-speed communication infrastructure updating the information online in real time.
have already been launched worldwide, so we can summarize
some of them as follows: