So y’all know about Wi-Fi yeah? It’s the magic network which lets you watch Netflix in bed and browse Facebook on the toilet (be honest). Well a little while ago at a TEDGlobal event, Harold Haas demonstrated the concept for a localised alternative to the traditional wireless network.
Current standards such as Wi-Fi operate using 2.4Ghz/5Ghz electromagnetic energy which can pass through certain kinds of materials, and gives us the convenient internet access we known and love. However, there are many long-standing issues with Wi-Fi technology including the speed restrictions and power consumption. So the proposed alternative called Li-Fi does away with electromagnetism for communication, and instead uses LED lights, flickering at incredibly high speeds, way faster than the human eye can perceive, to transmit data optically. This opens up the doors for it’s usage in controlled environments such as aviation, medical areas, and much more. To read more about how Li-Fi works, what the main benefits are of using it, and more, check out the article from Science Alert.
This blog post was brought to you by Core Electronics - your home for Sparkfun and Adafruit in Australia!
This blog can also be viewed here
