Will Your Next WiFi Hotspot be a Light Bulb?

This is intriguing research. Boston U’s College of Engineering is launching a study to use visible light instead of radio waves to transmit data. The idea is to use LEDs to create ““Smart Lighting” that is supposed to be faster and more secure than current network technology.

"Imagine if your computer, iPhone, TV, radio and thermostat could all communicate with you when you walked in a room just by flipping the wall light switch and without the usual cluster of wires," said BU Engineering Professor Thomas Little. "This could be done with an LED-based communications network that also provides light – all over existing power lines with low power consumption, high reliability and no electromagnetic interference. Ultimately, the system is expected to be applicable from existing illumination devices, like swapping light bulbs for LEDs."

Supposedly the technology could send and receive data in the 1 to 10 megabit range. Also interesting, since light cannot penetrate walls it would be more secure. Also intriguing they think the first real tests may come out of doors in the automotive industry.

Via Cellular News