PCMag Digital Network
Seen a hot gadget?  Tell Us   
Subscribe to Gearlog Update
Our FREE email newsletter delivered to your inbox.
Email: 
Format: 
Contact Us  
Sites We Like
Categories:  

Lightbulbs_Could_Replace_Wi.gif

Imagine if finding a wireless hot spot was as simple as shining a bit of light or finding a bright spot in the room. This is the subject of a new study being reported by Cellular News. The program from Boston University College of Engineering, under a National Science Foundation grant, is looking to develop wireless communication that would be sent via visible light rather than traditional radio waves.

The researchers are looking at ways to send communication to low-power light emitting diodes (LED) to create "smart lighting," which has the potential to be more secure and even faster than many current network technologies. The initiative's goal is to create an optical communication technology that would make an LED light the equivalent of a Wi-Fi access point.



Using electrical lines as data carriers is not a new concept, and there have been many good methods employed. The trick is finding a clean line and avoiding devices such as surge protectors, which can break the signal. What makes this system so innovative is that it doesn't require wires, and instead is done by LED-based communications, which would be similar to the signals sent from a TV remote control.

LED lights can switch on and off significantly faster than the human eye can perceive, so this could make for some truly fast connections. For it to work, users would have to swap out traditional light bulbs for LEDs. How much light would be necessary still remains an issue, as would the issue of line of sight, but this certainly sounds like a truly bright idea.

Post by Peter Suciu

| Stumble | Digg | del.icio.us | Slashdot
* = required
    Remember Me?
  
Please keep your comments on topic. Intelligent, thoughtful comments and questions are appreciated. Comments that contain personal attacks or profanity may be edited or removed. Comments containing personal information such as phone numbers, credit card numbers, or addresses may be edited or removed. Comments with advertisements will be removed.


 
Lenovo ThinkPad T400
Lenovo ThinkPad W700
Click Here Click Here
         
    Ziff Davis Home | Contact Us | Advertise | Link to Us | Reprints | Magazine Subscriptions | Newsletters | RSS Feeds | Tech Shop | Tech Encyclopedia | PC Downloads | Tech Webcasts | Tech Podcasts | Tech Video | Ziff Davis Media International
AppScout | Cranky Geeks | DigitalLife | DL.TV | ExtremeTech | Filefront | GearLog | GoodCleanTech | PC Magazine | PCMagCasts | Security Watch | Smart Device Central | What's New Now |
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Linking Policy | Contact Us |
Copyright © 1996-2009 Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc. All Rights Reserved. PC Magazine, the PCMag.com logo and Gearlog are registered trademarks of Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Ziff Davis Media Inc. is prohibited.