A new perfect event technology: Li-Fi, 100 times faster than Wi-Fi

Li-Fi, according to the research at the University of Oxford, have reached a new milestone in networking by using light fidelity (Li-Fi). And the scientists have achieved speeds up to 224 gigabits per second (Gbps). It means we could download nearly 20 movies just in a twinkling. After a sequence of tests in the real world, it has been approved to reach speeds of 1 GB/s which is 100 times the speed of traditional Wi-Fi. (Anthony Cuthbertson, 2015)

The constraints of Wi-Fi

Compared with the 56K modems, Wi-Fi seems like a rapid and liberating way to access the internet.(DONALD Armbrech, 2015) However, as Harald Haas explains in the following video, Wi-Fi as means to transmit data will reach its limit of capacity along with the growing desire and need for more data at faster pace. Wi-Fi mainly makes use of the radio waves to transmit the data. However, it is estimated that the data is difficult to find a spot in line as all the radio frequencies are in use.

How does it work?

Li-Fi takes advantage of the visible light as spectrum to transmit the data, but Wi-Fi uses the radio waves. The former one is 10,000 times larger than the later.(Donald Armbrecht, 2015) Therefore Li-Fi has the potential for enormous capacity. It is better to transmit the information by using thousands of data streams simultaneously rather than via one data stream.

Li-Fi works by switching LED lights on and off at incredibly fast speeds, spreading data to a reiever in binary code. However, the flashes are not seen by the naked eyes.

Why do we need it in the event?

Sometimes owing to the limited capacity of Wi-Fi especially when having thousands of delegates in such a big event, we can't make sure that everyone could connect to the internet successfully. If failed, it will bring the adverse affects to the event. Like the large-scale event ITB, the delegates may come from all over the world. We can't count on the mobile phones' 4G package to connect to the internet. So it is a critical pretext to ensure a successful event when having a smooth network environment. With the high efficiency technology, we will get higher satisfaction degree.

However, Li-Fi has its limit owing to the use of visible light which can't penetrate the solid objects like the radio waves do. So how to keep the network stability and continuity is still a problem to be solved.

FAN Xiaoxue & LIU Yanan

Sources:

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/lifi-internet-breakthrough-224gbps-connection-broadcast-led-bulb-1488204

http://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/11/this-technology-is-100-times-faster-than-wi-fi

Picture 1: WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM, future of Internet 

Picture 2: WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM, future of Internet