LiFi or Light Fidelity is a high speed optical wireless technology that uses visible light to transmit data. The term LiFi was coined by a German Scientist Professor Harald Haas in 2011. This bidirectional communication technology provides high bandwidth, efficiency, and a more secure mode of communication than radio technology such as Wi-Fi or cellular.

LiFi is ideal for providing connectivity within a localized environment with a range of about 10 meters. This technology uses LED light bulbs to transfer data. The LED light bulbs emit pulses of light that are undetectable to the human eye and with those emitted pulses data is transmitted to and from receivers. These receivers collect information and interpret the transmitted data. 

Currently, LiFi is able to achieve a data transfer rate of up to 224 Gbps i.e., enough to download almost 18 HD movies every second.

Advantages of LiFi

• LiFi can deliver multiple Gbps speeds in mobile devices.
• LiFi provides interference-free communications, so can be used in RF hostile zones such as hospitals, power plants and aeroplanes. Whereas RF signals are vulnerable to interference from a wide range of devices such as cordless phones, microwaves and neighbouring Wi-Fi networks.
• LiFi signals are more secure.

Applications of LiFi

• Traffic Management & Road Safety
• Medical Applications
• Aviation
• Communication Underwater
• Interior map-reading system for blind people
• In dangerous Environments or In Sensitive regions
• Transportations
• Industrial Areas