Wireless Data at the Speed of Light

Filed in archive Emerging Tech on March 12, 2010

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Researchers at Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications have experimented with methods of using visible light to transmit data wirelessly.

"In the lab the Fraunhofer team has downloaded data at a rate of 230 megabits per second, a record for visible wireless using commercial LEDs and comparable to high-end radio wireless connections," writes Popular Science's Clay Dillow. "With a better modulation signal the team thinks they can double that data speed."

"As of now, the majority of wireless in homes and businesses is achieved through a radio-frequency WiFi connection," according to Oneindia News. "But Wi-Fi has limited bandwidth, and it's unclear where to find more in the already-crowded radio spectrum. By contrast, visible-frequency wireless has all the bandwidth one could want."

"One of the German researchers on the project, Jelena Vucic, said there would be an advantage in using light to carry data over Wi-Fi or another system because the lights are already in a room," writes Computerworld's Matt Hamblen. "Her group's findings will be presented at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exposition/National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference on March 25 in San Diego."

More here from Top 10 Broadband ... and more here from Softpedia.