A new invention by researchers at Oregon State University promises to increase the bandwidth of Wi-Fi systems by using LED lights to transmit information.
This technology can be integrated into existing systems to address bandwidth issues in high-traffic areas such as airport terminals or coffee shops, but also in homea where there are many Wi-Fi devices.
Recent developments in LED technology have made it possible to adjust the LED light faster, opening up possibilities regarding the use of light for wireless data transmission.
"Using light to transmit signals is an old technology, dating back to the era when Roman soldiers were communicating with each other using a simple mirror code," says Thin Nguyen, assistant professor of computer / electrical engineering and chief program researcher .
The system uses cheap materials to transmit data at 100 Megabits/second (Mbps). Although some modern Wi-Fi systems have similar bandwidth, it must be divided according to the number of devices, so each user receives a small portion (5-10 Mbps, for example), while the said hybrid system could to provide 50-100, as stated in a relevant press release of the university.
Επίσης, στο σπίτι, όπου τηλέφωνα, tablets, παιχνιδομηχανές και τηλεοράσεις μπορούν να είναι όλα διασυνδεδεμένα στο Ίντερνετ, το αυξημένο bandwidth θα μπορούσε να εξαφανίζει problems as for example in video streaming.
The prototype, called WiFO, uses LEDs that are beyond the visual range of the human eye and creates an invisible "cone" of light within which data can be received. To deal with it problem of the small impact zone, Nguyen and his colleagues created a hybrid system that can switch from ceiling-mounted LED transmitters to the existing system Wi-Fi and the opposite.
Transmitters are small LEDs that cost less than a dollar each and can be interconnected via a USB port. "We believe that if this technology takes off, the next generation of laptops will include a photodiode receiver," he notes.
Source: naftemporiki.gr
