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Chinese Professor Builds Li-Fi System With Retail Parts
alphadogg writes "The equipment is big and expensive, with the research costs at almost $500,000. But by just using retail components, Chinese professor Chi Nan has built her own Li-Fi wireless system that can use LED lights to send and receive Internet data. "I bought the lights from Taobao," she said, referring to the Chinese e-commerce site. The professor from Fudan University showed off the technology on Tuesday at the China International Industry Fair in Shanghai. Unlike traditional Wi-Fi routers that use radio signals, Chi's system relies on light to send and receive data wirelessly. Others scientists, especially in the U.K., have also been researching the technology, and dubbed it "Li-Fi". But rather than develop specialized hardware, Chi bought off-the-shelf retail parts to create her system."
Most homes in Chinese cities are in buildings like condominiums. Only the walls are poured concrete. That's because the walls are load-bearing as part of the design. At least that's my understanding. Regardless, getting WiFi access several rooms away can be real difficult if not impossible.
If you're part if the growing middle class that plans on expanding network connectivity in the home, you really need CAT5e installed (outside the walls unfortunately).
Life is not for the lazy.
Because it is dependent on light, the technology can't penetrate walls or work in complete darkness. In Chi's case, the Li-Fi receiver must be within three meters of the router, and placed under the LED bulbs so that the sensor can read it.
Am I missing something here? If it can't work in total darkness, and the receiver has to be within 3 meters, what's the application for this? We have a whole bunch of other solutions, like bluetooth for example, that's low power, invisible, and go way further than that.
Sounds like a fun project, but doesn't seem more useful than building a cnc machine out of legos.