Do you think that your Wi-Fi internet connection is the fastest in the world? Well, get ready to be surprised, as a new and faster alternative to Wi-Fi is coming soon.
Called as Li-Fi, the technology is now making its way to the real world through an Estonian startup named Velmenni. The trials of the technology has already been started in industrial environments and offices in Tallinn. Li-Fi is capable of speeds up to 1Gbps, which is 100 times speedier than the present Wi-Fi technologies. Just imagine, a HD Blu-Ray movie could be downloaded in just a few seconds!
If Velmenni CEO Deepak Solanki’s estimates are to be believed, then Li-Fi could get released for the public within the next 3-4 years. Even though Li-Fi may not replace Wi-Fi completely, both of them could work in parallel for creating efficient networks. To bring Li-Fi into the real world, our current system and techniques need to be modified in order to support the new technology.
In case you are wondering how Li-Fi works, its used a technology called visible light communications (VLC). Simply said, Li-Fi can help people access the internet just with the use of light bulbs! Professor Harald Hass, the inventor of Li-Fi, is claiming that all the LED light bulbs in the future could be used instead of Wi-Fi for accessing the internet. The professor stated in a TED talk that the current infrastructure was suitable for Li-Fi, and by just fitting a minute microchip in the bulb, it would not only provide illumination but also wireless data transmission.
Well, let’s hope that Li-Fi reaches our homes soon! For more information, you can visit the official pureLiFi site.