Real-world testing of Li-Fi, an advanced wireless communication technology, has found it to be 100 times faster than currently-available Wi-Fi networks. Reporting impressive data transmission rates of around 1 GB per second, the new system was recently trialled, for the first time, in office and industrial settings in Tallinin, Estonia. At such speeds, it would take mere seconds to download a high-definition film of 1.5 GB.
Developed back in 2011 by scientist Harald Haas, of the University of Edinburgh, Li-Fi is a high speed, bidirectional wireless technology based on visible light communication (VLC). Using visible light ranging from 400 to 800 terahertz (THz), the technology can transmit data in binary code, by switching LED bulbs on and off within nanoseconds. The bulbs are turned on and off at too high a speed to be visible to the naked eye.
In the past, lab tests of Li-Fi have yielded incredibly high speeds of up to 224 gigabit per second. Apart from faster data transmission, Li-Fi boasts several advantages over current Wi-Fi technologies. Sicne light waves cannot pass through walls, it ensures less interference between different devices and greater security against hacking. Furthermore, unlike other networks, it can be safely used in sensitive areas, like hospitals, airplane cabins and nuclear power plants, without causing any kind of electromagnetic interference.
