Optical Wireless Communication and Li-Fi Market

Optical Wireless Communication and Li-Fi Market Outlook (2023 to 2033)

As wireless communications proliferated, the demand for optical communication and Li-fi technologies became highly prominent than ever and made inroads into multiple applications. As the name suggests, Optical wireless communique (OWC) is a kind of communication facilitated through visible light as a signal carrier. The medium of light is usually ultraviolet or unguided infrared. These are usually operated within visible light and common terms as visible light communication i.e VLC.

As per the current scenario, the majority of mobile data traffic is being consumed indoors, wherein light fidelity (LiFi), a part of the family of optical wireless communication, offers a multitude of advantages and effective solutions to numerous issues of wireless communication.

Although wireless networks that are existing currently are being overpowered by radio-based technologies, optical wireless communication, and Li-fi solutions are set to witness a sheer proliferation in the years to come owing to their importance in the futuristic wireless communication frameworks.

What are the factors that drive the demand and adoption of LiFi?

High Speed, Ease of installation, and Improved interconnectivity

Using LiFi has a wide range of benefits. Its efficiency is one of its main advantages. Users benefit from lower expenditures in terms of energy consumption thanks to LiFi's use of VLC technology and high-efficiency LED lamps.

Additionally, they simply require functional LED lights, which are already present in the majority of homes and other buildings, resulting in further installation cost reductions. The other major advantage of LiFi is the usage of light that occurs almost instantly which is making the signals faster.

As light travels at the fastest speed data transmission becomes fast which improves interconnectivity. Unlike Wi-Fi, Li-Fi technology drives data transmission with a speed of more than 100 times faster.

Future development of wireless communication will see it surpass wired technology and broaden its application. Also, the expansion of internet connection into previously difficult-to-reach locations is made simpler by wireless technologies. Many other tech behemoths, including Facebook, Google, SpaceX, and others, have started initiatives with this goal in mind. Rural, distant, and underdeveloped populations may benefit from connections to the Internet thanks to these kinds of technologies.

What are the present concerns associated with the Li-Fi?

Lack of Infrastructure, and operational awareness

Li-Fi is considerably a newer concept that is in the initial stage at present. The biggest challenge in implementation comes up with the infrastructure as the lack of needed infrastructure affects the connectivity. This highlights there is plenty of time still needed for this technology to create an impact on the life of the general public.

The light source is required to be kept on all the time in order to provide regular network access. The lights could be dimmed to the level that human eyes won’t affect but the light will be still on for connectivity of Li-Fi.

As the data transmission using Li-Fi is dependent on the light source which tends to become highly susceptible to any external interference. The ability of photodiodes to detect light from competing sources, such as sunshine and other types of illumination, is a key feature. It's possible that this will make noise inside the receiver and disturb the network.

Furthermore, the lack of awareness regarding operational advantages is a core hindrance to the penetration of this technology in the market. There are misconceptions and some sort of skepticism around the concepts that are likely to challenge the growth. However, many experts believe that these restraints are likely to fade over time.

What are recent developments in Li-Fi?

• January 2022- Trulifi by signify company started providing Li-Fi to Belgium schools. The company took this initiative to provide students and staff with fast and reliable access to online applications and tools.
• In 2019, Broadcom Inc.- a key player in the arcade made an official announcement that Barclays has signed a definitive agreement as a PLA (Portfolio License Agreement) customer. This agreement, in turn, would help the companies drive considerable savings with the help of state-of-the-art technologies to revamp their digital infrastructure.
• In 2018, Honeywell International- a leading player in the market- entered into a collaboration with Ball Aerospace in a bid to develop & produce highly-reliable and high-quality data links. These links provide immense scope for satellite operators to deliver optimal and high-capacity connectivity to users spread across the globe. Combined, the two of these companies will establish a paradigm for the volume production of optical terminals for impeccable ground-to-space communications.

What are the opportunities and applications of this technology to impact market share?

Multivariate application to increase the adoption of Li-Fi in the forecast period.

Solid-state light solutions are in trend where LED is gaining attention across various applications in luminaires, lamps, and other illumination devices. These devices are potential data providers for seamless connectivity and communication. The additional bandwidth aids in the improvement of the overall network.

This technology is known for the potency that makes it a leading communication technology addressing multiple issues. It can’t be denied that the ultimate key to the market’s growth is the ever-evolving demand for effective communication technologies.

On account of their speed and connectivity, these technologies are finding significant use in electromagnetic-sensitive areas, including airplanes, nuclear power plants, and hospitals.

Segmentation

• By application :

  • Industrial
  • Residential
  • Commercial
  • Others

• By product type :

  • Microcontrollers
  • LEDs
  • Photodetectors

• By Region :

  • North America 
  • Latin America 
  • Western Europe 
  • CIS and Russia
  • Asia-Pacific 
  • Japan
  • Middle East and Africa