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Researchers Beam 230Mb/sec Wireless Internet WIth LEDs

MikeChino writes "A group of scientists from Germany's Fraunhofer Institute have devised a way to encode a visible-frequency wireless signal in light emitted by plain old desklamps and other light fixtures. The team was able to achieve a record-setting data download rate of 230 megabits per second, and they expect to be able to double that speed in the near future. While the regular radio-frequency Wi-Fi most of us use currently is perfectly fine, it does have its flaws — it has a limited bandwidth that confines it to a certain spectrum and if you've ever had someone leech off of your connection, you know that it also leaks through walls. LED wireless signals would theoretically have none of these downsides."

15 of 218 comments (clear)

  1. Blast from the past by jpmorgan · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's the return of IrDA!

  2. Re:Just different ones by wealthychef · · Score: 2, Funny

    I don't think "site" means what you think it means.

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    Currently hooked on AMP
  3. No kitty, that's my pot pie! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    No, you can not haz beam of light interwebs. You are obviously a lolcat, and the only thing lolcats should do with beams of light is chase them. Who is a cute kitty? Who is? You! Yes you are!

  4. Re:Great! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    It goes well with the porn! This is red light, right?

  5. What I want to know is: by killmenow · · Score: 4, Funny

    What happens if you cross the beams?

  6. Re:Just different ones by mrclisdue · · Score: 2, Funny

    If we continue to make a spelling mistake in each reply, at some point approaching infinity, we may have reconstructed the bible: to discover that you read it first on /..

    chers,

  7. Re:No upsides either by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I tried that in my epilepsy classroom and everyone had a fit.

  8. This is great... but... by troylanes · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm an epileptic you insensitive clod!

  9. Re:Just different ones by Maxo-Texas · · Score: 5, Funny

    Slashdot 57:30, If we covet making a spelling mistake for each wife, at some point we forsake other gods and we may do unto others before they can do unto us first on /..

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    She was like chocolate when she drank... semi-sweet at first and then increasingly bitter.
  10. big whoop by pablo_max · · Score: 4, Funny

    We do the same thing at work with Interns and flashlights.

  11. Digital video by BillX · · Score: 4, Funny

    I assume the 230Mb/s is for stuff like delivering digital video to your TV without plugging cables.

    "Wow, this movie looks even better in digital!"

    "Here, let me turn the lights out so we can wa...oh."

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    Caveat Emptor is not a business model.
  12. Re:No upsides either by IICV · · Score: 3, Funny

    Holy shit, apparently I live in the future and I didn't realize it.

  13. Bandwidth Meter by multimediavt · · Score: 2, Funny

    Downloading from couch with laptop facing "array" across room, 100% signal strength

    Dog walks into room between laptop and array, 30% signal strength while dog passes

    Child walks in room and stands in front of you to talk to you, 0% signal strength until conversation ends, or kid dies for cutting off your slashdot post mid submit!

    Wife walks in with credit card bill with pr0n charges, array gets smashed and you get served.

    No good can come from this!

  14. 1975 here we come... by flyingfsck · · Score: 2, Funny

    Geez, I played with LED data links when I was in high school and LEDS came in all colours provided that it was red. Years later I used the power LED of a device (woohoo, we had green too by then) for a debug data link. Now you *really* got to get off my lawn...

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    Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!
  15. Re:No upsides either by noisyinstrument · · Score: 5, Funny

    People who live in glass houses shouldn't use plain text passwords.