Philips, one of the world’s largest lighting producers, is hopping into the internet-creating light market. Called “LiFi,” it works via a modem that controls LED bulb lightwave fluctuations (basically imperceptible flashes) that are imperceptible-to-humans but transmit data just by being on around an internet-enabled device. For now, it’s said to put out speeds of 30 Mb/s, but it could apparently reach up to 100 times the speed of Wi-Fi eventually. To receive the internet-producing light signals devices need a small USB-connected dongle, but Philips believes soon devices will come equipped with the tools to perform this function on their own. Other than performance in areas traditional WiFi struggles (basements, rooms far from a router, etc.), security, Philips says, is one of the biggest reasons for the innovation, as users not directly within a light won’t have access to the network.
A pilot test for the new technology is underway in France now, with plans to come to the consumer market in the near future.
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