A study of the impact of VLC on the quality of lighting and display
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Edinburgh
Department Name: Sch of Engineering
Abstract
The co-existence of data transmission and lighting inside a common light emitting diode (LED) to complement the radio frequency based wireless communication in satisfying the global socio-economic activities is a low-cost/low-energy proposition termed visible light communications (VLC). It radically turns a passive light source into a dynamic service hub that provides opportunities to improve existing services and introduce new ones.
For this nascent VLC idea to gain traction and realise its huge potential however, vital optimisation approach to mutually accommodate data and illumination on the same LED becomes a necessity. This includes studying, understanding and quantifying the inter-relationship between lighting requirements and data transmission as against the current approach that completely disregards this. To this end, this research will be investigating the impacts of VLC on the fundamental properties of energy efficiency, light quality and life expectancy of an LED that is primarily designed for lighting/display. The findings from this work will provide the required approach for optimising VLC and safeguard the LED's reliability, durability and emitted light quality
For this nascent VLC idea to gain traction and realise its huge potential however, vital optimisation approach to mutually accommodate data and illumination on the same LED becomes a necessity. This includes studying, understanding and quantifying the inter-relationship between lighting requirements and data transmission as against the current approach that completely disregards this. To this end, this research will be investigating the impacts of VLC on the fundamental properties of energy efficiency, light quality and life expectancy of an LED that is primarily designed for lighting/display. The findings from this work will provide the required approach for optimising VLC and safeguard the LED's reliability, durability and emitted light quality
Planned Impact
Both current and future demands for wireless bandwidths cannot be met by the existing radio communication techniques alone. VLC can complement evolutions in radio wireless communications in addressing this impending spectrum crunch. VLC also has the potential to expand wireless communication coverage to areas such as hospitals, factories, secure environments and others where user preference, regulation, or the propagation environment makes RF wireless undesirable. It equally allows for new services to be developed and more efficient operation of facilities such as factories. By leveraging on the existing lighting and display infrastructure for data transmission, VLC adds data capacity at little additional cost thereby increasing the economic efficiency of the network infrastructure.
Publications
Pikasis E.
(2018)
Understanding LiFi Effect on LED Light Quality
Popoola W
(2016)
Impact of VLC on Light Emission Quality of White LEDs
in Journal of Lightwave Technology
Description | The work studied the impact of data modulation on the quality of light emitted by illumination LEDs. This knowledge was then used to proffer methods of using illumination LEDs for wireless internet connectivity without compromising energy efficiency of the light sources and the quality of light they emit. By extension, this preserves the user well-being. |
Exploitation Route | 1. Visible light communication industry can leverage the findings in the design of light-based internet modems that preserver user-well, energy efficiency and life-span of LED light sources. |
Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Education Electronics Energy |
URL | https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/sil/impact/2017/00002017/00000005/art00027 |
Description | The findings led to: (1) public enlightenment talk on BBC 5live science (see http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05jzzps) and an EPSRC press-release titled: 'No dark side to using LED lights to supplement WiFi, research reveals' . (2) The paper is being referenced by IEEE 802.11bb VLC standardisation task group working on VLC standard (https://goo.gl/oeUyw4). |
First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
Sector | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Electronics |
Impact Types | Societal |
Title | Impact of VLC on Light Emission Quality of White LEDs, |
Description | Data set for the published paper: W. O. Popoola, "Impact of VLC on Light Emission Quality of White LEDs," in Journal of Lightwave Technology, vol. 34, no. 10, pp. 2526-2532, May15, 15 2016. doi: 10.1109/JLT.2016.2542110 |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Data set for the published paper: W. O. Popoola, "Impact of VLC on Light Emission Quality of White LEDs," in Journal of Lightwave Technology, vol. 34, no. 10, pp. 2526-2532, May15, 15 2016. doi: 10.1109/JLT.2016.2542110 |
URL | http://datashare.is.ed.ac.uk/handle/10283/2357 |