Lighting has certainly changed a lot since its beginnings in the 19th century and its next evolution will be Lifi technology. Today, we see LED bulbs everywhere: in homes, in offices, in airplanes, and on telephones. Many hail the arrival of this technology as revolutionary for the industry, yet the potential of LED technology extends far beyond mere lighting. With the fast and constant evolution of this technology, soon, lighting will become a secondary function to the lighting system.
The integration of LEDs within electronic products such as speakers and WiFi signal boosters has become more and more common. LED lights will soon be able to deliver what is known as LiFi, which is a wireless Internet access via the lighting system. (Lighting Fidelity or LiFi will supersede Wireless Fidelity or WiFi). Soon your lighting system will allow you to remain connected to the Internet via new LiFi technology.
The connected lamp will fulfill several functions. Not only will it illuminate, but it will also transmit data via the Internet through light waves. Thus, light will be used to capture and send information to other systems that control the atmosphere of a given space such as temperature, air quality, occupancy, monitoring, etc.
The Pros and Cons of LiFi technology
The Pros of LiFi technology
- Less harmful to health. In addition to avoiding the use of radio waves that are potentially harmful to human health, LiFi can also be a substitute for 3G or cable connections.
- Reduced the risk of hacking. LiFi is also very secure because, unlike WiFi, it cannot pass through walls. Data exchange would remain confined to lit areas, thus putting an end to the threat of hackers!
- Very high speed. LiFi technology can provide a download speed of over 30Mbps, which is up to 10,000 times faster than the majority of traditional WiFi bandwidths.
The Cons of LiFi technology
- Limit of Connection. A benefit can also be an inconvenience depending on the circumstances. As the connection is wireless, it requires that you be within the radiance of the light to remain connected. In other words, you would lose your Internet connection by leaving the room that is connected LiFi technology.
Imagine the future with LiFi technology
In the near future, we will be living in a world where travelling businessmen and businesswomen will be able to enter a hotel or office and program the atmosphere to your preferred settings by using lighting and their smartphone. Imagine your smartphone communicating with an LED lighting systems to set any ambiance you choose: soft lighting, ideal temperature, perfect music… exactly as if you were in your own office.
Let there be light!… and LiFi technology.
Watch STANDARD’s Jason Prévost talk about what he thinks the future holds for the lighting industry: