Can you access the internet with light? LED bears "visible light communication"

Can you imagine this scenario? One day, you can download the mobile app under the street light and watch the online video under the illumination of the interior lights. This is not a fantasy. On the Pujiang Innovation Forum held yesterday, Qu Jiangxing, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and the president of the Information Engineering University of the People's Liberation Army, introduced “visible light communication”, a new technology of international interest. He pointed out that visible light communication is a strategic emerging industry, and China should further increase policy support and capital investment to achieve "taking over the curve."

When the LED emits light, it will produce a very high frequency of flashing, this flashing is actually a signal of the opening and closing process, open on behalf of "1", off represents "0". With this "binary flicker," scientists thought of using light for data communications. Although the incandescent lamp flickers when lit, its frequency is too low. Therefore, scientists believe that the increasing popularity of LED lamps is the best light source to integrate lighting and communications. After putting a special microchip into the LED lamp, it can be turned into a device that combines lighting and communication functions.

What advantages does visible light communication have over wireless LANs currently in use? Academician Jiang Jiangxing listed many articles - ubiquitous, high-speed, health, energy saving, safety, and economy. The so-called "ubiquitous" means that electric lights are ubiquitous whether they are indoors or outdoors. If they are all upgraded to visible light communication devices, then communication base stations and wireless network transmitters will be ubiquitous. At present, the speed of visible light communication can reach several tens to hundreds of megabytes per second. In the future, the transmission speed may exceed the optical fiber communication. Using multiple computers at the same time will not affect the communication speed. This technology also features high security. After covering the light with curtains, the information will not leak outside. It is also good for the protection of human health. The radio frequency signals in the current radio frequency communication are harmful to the human body, and it is easy to produce electromagnetic interference to other devices. LED visible light communication does not have these problems.

In the eyes of the academicians, visible light communication technology gestates a “strategic emerging industry” that will upgrade traditional industries, stimulate new industries, change business models, and prosper service industries. At present, the increasing popularity of mobile communications has met the problem of limited radio frequency resource capabilities. The advent of “green light of information” is expected to break through this bottleneck, allowing people to access the Internet at any time in a lighted place and download large amounts of data. And upload. Once the “information bulb” is industrialized, it will have a major impact on the lighting industry. A large number of internet companies will enter this industry. In the advertising industry, a new advertising model will be developed. People will use a mobile phone to take a shot against a TV set and an outdoor advertising screen. Advertisement information on the screen will be transmitted to the mobile phone through optical communication for people to "acquire on the map."

He Jiangxing said that visible light communication technology has received extensive attention in developed countries. The EU has launched the “OMEGA Plan” and the National Science Foundation has also invested funds for research and development. In China, the national “863 Program” project for the development of this technology has been approved. □ Reporter Yu Taoran