Velmenni Plans to Commercialize Li-Fi LED bulbs in Four Years

An Estonian start-up Velmenni in Tallinn is planning to launch a Li-Fi LED bulbs within three to four years, reported BBC.

The company’s Li-Fi prototype bulb tested is capable of delivering Internet data transmission speed of up to 1Gbps (gigabit per second). Under lab conditions the bulb’s recorded data transmission speed reached 224Gbps.

The lights were tested in an office, granting workers Internet access, and in an industrial space to provide a smart lighting solution.

The company’s chief executive told International Business Times, its technology could reach consumers within three to four years.

The technology first coined and demonstrated by Professor Harald Haas from Edinburgh University at a TED conference in 2011, has the potential to transform LED light bulbs into wireless hotspots.

One of the advantages is the visible light spectrum is 10,000 times larger than radio waves, indicating it is less likely to cause interference with different devices. The light transmission technology is suitable for aircraft applications, and other indoor applications.

Drawbacks of the technology include it cannot be deployed outdoors, since sunlight can interfere with the signal. The technology is also unable to travel through walls, which limits its applications to congested urban areas or hospitals, where wi-fi’s interference with medical electronic devices makes it unsafe and unpractical for use.