With globalisation and the thirst for connectivity across society, the demand placed on wireless infrastructure and the associated resource is growing exponentially. Very soon this resource will reach saturation point, due to the finite bandwidth available in the Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum. A method of countering the impending saturation needs to be found. That method can be Visible Light Communication (VLC).
Light Fidelity (Li-Fi) is a research field within VLC that utilises the visible light band within the electromagnetic wave spectrum. This band is 10,000 times larger than the RF band and cannot be ‘leased’ or saturated with users. Light waves can be modulated to carry an enormous amount ofsimultaneous data, at speeds faster than current consumer equipment can handle.
This Dissertation describes in detail the research, construction and testing of a Li-Fi prototype using Raspberry Pi. The prototype is compact, low cost, uses accessible components and provides a solid foundation for other students to follow on with further work in this field.
The prototype successfully demonstrates the principle of Visible Light Communication and shows the viability of using Python for coding, SPI for data transfer and lists suitable electronic components to process bit-wise data signals. The prototype shows that while it is possible to use addressable LED’sas the transmitting element, the Dissertation concludes that they are not suitable outside of a heavily constrained environment
