Philips Lighting has launched Light Fidelity (LiFi), a wireless technology in which high quality LED lighting provides a broadband internet connection through light waves. Philips Lighting is the first global lighting company to offer LiFi-enabled luminaires from its existing office lighting portfolio.
“LiFi has enormous potential for today’s digital age and as the world’s leading lighting company we are proud to pioneer new and innovative services for our customers,” said Olivia Qiu, chief innovation officer, Philips Lighting.
“While radio frequencies are becoming congested, the visible light spectrum is an untapped resource with a large bandwidth suitable for the stable simultaneous connection of a vast array of Internet of Things devices. Being a lighting company, we ensure that our customers benefit from the finest quality energy efficient light along with state-of-the-art connectivity,” added Qiu.
LiFi is a two-way, high-speed wireless technology similar to WiFi but uses light waves instead of radio waves to transmit data. Philips Lighting’s office luminaires enabled with LiFi technology provide broadband connection with a speed of 30Mb per second (Mb/s) without compromising lighting quality, according to the company. With 30Mb/s a user can simultaneously stream several HD quality videos while having video calls.
Icade, a French real estate investment company, is piloting the technology in its smart office in La Defense, Paris. “LiFi has the potential to be a real game changer in offices,” said Emmanuelle Baboulin, Icade’s head of commercial property investment. “As the leader in our market we wanted to explore the possibilities of this technology for existing and future clients. We plan to showcase the technology in our smart office in La Defense, so aside from stable connectivity, light quality is crucial to us.”
