Researchers begin pilot testing of “LiFi” light bulbs that offer broadband data through light

The Internet of Things or IoT is a type of emerging technology that is meant to become a standard inside the home as well as in the office. It’s the key to turning ordinary household and office appliances into “smart” ones – that is, connecting them to the internet – and in many ways, is seen as a key part of the future of mobile computing. Now Philips Lighting wants to speed up its adoption by promoting LiFi, wireless broadband data that propagates through light instead of radio signals, which it has added to its latest series of luminaires.

LiFi is similar to Wi-Fi in that it represents wireless broadband internet. But again, instead of using radio waves, its signal resides in the visible light spectrum, where there is much more bandwidth available for use. It’s said that the LiFi-enabled products developed by Philips Lighting so far are among the best in the world to offer the revolutionary new technology, and not only that, they are quite remarkable as LED light fixtures as well.