2018 IEEE 4th International Symposium in Robotics and Manufacturing Automation (ROMA)

Effective LiFi communication for IoT applications

Reem Ali Abdullah Othman Darshika a/p Sagaran Mastaneh Mokayef Wan Irma Idayu Restu binti Wan
Mohd Nasir

Department of Electrical Department of Electrical Department of Electrical Department of Electrical

and Electronics and Electronics and Electronics and Electronics
Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,
Technology & Built Environment Technology & Built Environment Technology & Built Environment Technology & Built Environment
UCSI University UCSI University UCSI University UCSI University
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
reem_almashhari@yahoo.com reem_almashhari@yahoo.com reem_almashhari@yahoo.com wanirma.ir@gmail.com

On the other hand, due to the advances in Information

Technology (IT) and wireless communication, an immense
attention has been dedicated to the concept of Internet of
Abstract – The need of spectrum due to the fast growth of Things (IoT). Accordingly, since the most important challenges
technology in one hand and the importance of Internet of Things in today are the security and low latency; and considering the fact
an other hand , made a Light Fidelity (LiFi) as a promising that the Lifi provides more secured infrastructure for the
technology to support the IoT in the center of attention of
wireless communication, then LiFi will be a good candidate for
researchers. this paper provides the possiblity of integration of IoT
the IoT applications specially in small cells. The study [1] has
and LiFi by showing a prototype of a simple LiFi system. The
comparison between WiFi and LiFi and the advantages of using introduced the Attocells as the “additional network layer within
LiFi in IoT has been highlighted in this paper. The result of the existing heterogeneous wireless networks, and they have
evaluation shows the feasibility of utilizing LiFi in wireless zero interference from, and add zero interference to, the radio
communication. frequency (RF) counterparts”. Meanwhile, the improvement of
these LiFi Attocells have been discussed in [2]. And
Keywords—LiFi, IoT, WiFi. consequently, the bidirectional LiFi Attocells access points
have been developed by use of slicing scheme [2]. In this paper
I. INTRODUCTION we present Audio transmission via LiFi communication using
Due to the rapid growth in technology, the dramatic growth mobile phone to transmit the audio and LEDs to modulate the
can be observed in radio spectrum allocation and management signals.
[1-5]. The frequency bands from 9KHz to 300GHz have been
used over the years in order to provide the communication II. DESCRIPTION
services. With the aid of electromagnetic waves, these
frequency band have been allocated for different services such A. Concept
as audio communication in the first generation of wireless The idea of LiFi communication is based on the production
communication (1G) to the mobile internet connectivity with a of very narrow pulses from the LEDs that are at very high
high-speed data rate (5G) [2]. These technological advances in frequency which cannot be detected by human eye however it
parallel to the high demand for those technologies over the last can be sensed by a receiver. Thus, the light performs as a
decade, pushed the researchers to consider the light as an medium between the source and the object of interest and in
alternative source data transmission instead of radio waves. In other hand, the component which is used to detect generated
this regard, the access to high speed data transfer of about pulses can be a photodetector or a solar cell. The latter can be
1Gbps or more became at the center of attention. This rate of used alternatively as a power supply to the instrument and
data transmission is almost 100 times faster than the current therefore can be combined to receive the signal as well as to
Wi-Fi access which is only achievable with a Visible Light power up the instrument. Li-Fi uses the optical spectrum i.e.
Communication (VLC) or in another word, Light Fidelity Visible light part of the electromagnetic spectrum, it ranges
(LiFi). This term was first used by University of Edinburgh between the violet (800 THz) and red (400 THz), Table 1
Professor Harald Haas during a TED Talk in 2011[3]. The shows the parameters of LiFi [6].
visible light resources have been successfully used in fiber
TABLE I. PARAMETERS OF LIFI
optic communications and aid of laser, over the past decades.
Since there are 300 THz non-allocated bandwidth available at PARAMETERS
higher frequencies in the visible light spectrum, the visible Spectrum Visible light
light can be used as a promising source for fast data
communication [4]. Standard IEEE 802.15.7

978-1-7281-0374-7/18/$31.00 ©2018 IEEE

 Range Based on Light Intensity
(< 10m)
Data Transfer Rate Very high ( ~1 Gbps)
Power consumption Low
Cost Low
Bandwidth Unlimited

B. Design
The input is an analog signal that is taken from a cellphone ,
this signal is modulated through LEDs, which turn on and off
very rapidly that can not be detected with bare eye. In order to
detect this speedy blinking data, a solar cell has been used to
receive the signal. The transmitted signal is received by the
solar cell, the signal is demodulated and is sent to the speaker,
which converts electrical signal to audible form. The block
diagram of this process is shown in Figure 1.

Fig. 2.The inside view of the prototype

C. Demonstration
A prototype was made for the purpose of demonstration of the
Audio LiFi, a list of the elements used in the prototype is
provided below in Table II with its purpose of use.

TABLE II. DEVICES USED IN LIFI

ELEMENT FUNCTION

9V battery Energy source

Audio transmitter Source of music

(Mobile phone)
LED Generates signal modulation.

Solar cell Receives transmitted signal.

Speakers Converts Analog to Audio

signal
Fig. 1. Block Diagram of for Audio LiFi
Figures 3 and 4 show the final design. In Figure 3, the Audio
LiFi is on and the audio data is transmitted from the mobile
phone and as shown in Figure 4, the LED as a light source, is
transferring the data. Like all communication systems, our
system consists of the transmitter and receiver. In transmitter
side, we have the mobile phone (audio source ) and LED
( light source) while at receiver side, we used solar cell and
speaker. As shown in Figure 4, the light signals are captured
by the speaker through the solar cell. For this to happen, the
speaker is connect to the out put of the solar cell. The speaker
will amplify the signal as it contains the built in amplifier.
 As the market for IoT devices grows and sensors are added
to more and more things and places, faster and heavier data
transmission will be required [7].

III. CHALLENGES OF IOT AND LIFI

A. Limitation of IoT
Internet of Things or IoT is the interconnection of several
physical objects like home appliances that has embedded with
sensors fixed to them and Internet connectivity in order to
exchange information with each other. It has so many
advantages since it prevents extra time and energy
consumption. But it too has flaws. Some of them I am writing
below that are undoubtedly thoughtful.
Firstly, this is a great concern when it comes to exchanging
valuable information regarding anything. Since everything will
be connected breaching inside the network would be easy by
the hackers. By entering into just a part of network would
reveal everything regarding an individual or organization .
Fig. 3. Prototype system design
Moreover, safety is a point to reconsider. Since the consumer
that time would be dependent entirely on the technology there
With this system, we had streamed the music from the mobile would be least probability that he would bother checking
phone. When the music played, the LEDs start blinking and anything. What if a hacker changes your medical prescription
the sound was heard from the speaker. By adjusting the and you are supplied expired medicines, then there will be
distance between transmitter and receiver, we were able to health issue that can lead to death. Furthermore , the
receive an almost noise free sound.. compatibility of any device to connect within devices.
Likewise, different manufacturers need to agree upon this else
people will prefer buying only one brand and there would be
monopoly [8,9].

B. Advantages of LiFi in IoT

LiFi Provides high data rate up to 1 Gbps and even more than
that, because of high bandwidths and low interference.
It is very efficient since the energy consumption can be less
when using LEDs which are already available in houses,
offices, transportation points and shopping centres. This
makes more efficient in terms of cost and energy.
One of the primary advantages of LiFi is security. Since the
light cannot pass through solid and opaque structures, it is
only available to the users within a room and cannot be
intercepted by users in other rooms or buildings.

IV. CONCLUSION
Fig. 4. Final prototype
In conclusion, the IoT is a giant network of connected things
and people all of which collect and share data about the way
they are used and about the environment around them. So the
aim of our story here is that did our project manage to work
LiFi could be the new way for using high speed with concept of IoT ? The answer is yes. Our project with them
communication instead of WiFi. Nowadays there’s more LiFi has a features of IoT in such a way the sensor in the
interest for a higher bandwidth, faster speed and a more secure system sense the brightness that will control the volume of the
data transfer for IoT [5]. LiFi could be installed anywhere users music. This same concept can be brought to home appliance
might have access to light and want to have data services, in with IoT concepts. Lights that uses sensor to sense the
places such as buses, train stations, airplanes, and inside offices movement of any object to switch on or off will then turn of
and living places. the music in your room or any other appliance as long as the
sensor is connected with the device.
 REFERENCE
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