LiFi-enabled LED lighting is poised to play a major role in the Internet of Things which enables direct integration of the physical world into computer-based systems. IoT transforms the way people interact with their environment through the exploitation of data capture (sensing), communication and actuation capabilities. Forwarding data from the perception layer to the application layer of an IoT system requires a reliable, secure, efficient, and pervasive network layer. The network layer of IoT uses a combination of long distance and short-range network communication technologies such as Bluetooth, ZigBee, WiFi, 3G, 4G, 5G, and power line communication (PLC). WiFi is currently the most globally recognized wireless networking technology in IoT applications. However, as mentioned above, WiFi has its weak points. And LiFi is born to address the inefficiencies of WiFi.
With very low power consumption, convenience of setting up, wide availability and lower component costs, deploying IoT with LiFi across a facility will be a hassle-free exercise. LiFi's ability to transfer data through lighting easily expands a network of customizable IoT solutions that are previously not possible with RF communication technologies. LiFi not only provides a cost-effective, efficient and secure channel for more ubiquitous communication in IoT networks, it also contributes unprecedented robustness in the interaction between digital nodes and creates a multitude of mobile node-to-node IoT applications. LiFi and RF communication systems combine to address key IoT challenges such as interoperability, scalability and accessibility.
