Fraunhofer HHI installed VLC technology on Mainau Island

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With the completion of project Phase A, Fraunhofer HHI has installed a communication system based on visible light communication on Mainau Island. | Quelle: Fraunhofer HHI | Download

The equipment of the conference room will be accomplished in multiple project steps and is intended to provide findings for parameter optimization through practical application. This VLC installation is the first outside a laboratory environment in Germany and one of the few field tests of this kind worldwide.

The first project phase has been completed, and the conference room is now equipped with a communication system based on Visible Light Communication. The VLC technology, also known as LiFi, is an alternative for WiFi without having to give up the wireless exchange of high data volumes.

Dr. Anagnostis Paraskevopoulos, project manager at Fraunhofer HHI, is pleased that the first system version has been installed on Mainau Island. "Through its use in an everyday environment the field tests are providing us with valuable findings for further system development".

Bettina Countess Bernadotte, CEO of Mainau GmbH, is looking forward to the findings of the test phase. "From personal conviction, I support the research on low-radiation mobile communication, and we as Mainau Island are pleased that we have been able to make a contribution to the further testing of the new technology".

The project is supported by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Environment, Climate and Energy. The Initiative BodenseeMobilfunk (Lake Constance Mobile Communications) came up with the idea for the project on Mainau Island and also coordinates the activities of the project participants.

The VLC technology

The demand for wireless communication networks within buildings will continue to increase in the coming years. Visible Light Communication offers an alternative which uses LED-based light sources for data transmission purposes. Through the higher number of access points a significant increase of the network capacity can be achieved while retaining the mobility which users want.

Visible Light Communication avoids all electromagnetic interferences with radio-based wireless networks and is by definition RF-free. Data rates of one gigabit per second (1 Gbit/s) and more can be achieved with conventional LEDs, thus even allowing for the flawless transmission of video data in HD and 4K quality. Just a few additional components are needed to turn a conventional LED light into a powerful optical WiFi transmitter. A special modulator turns the LED on and off very quickly, thus transmitting the digital information.