Li-Fi Wireless

Communications (6 projects)
Li-Fi Wireless Communications
• Li-Fi (Light-Fidelity) is high speed wireless communications through light
emitting diodes (LEDs). Li-Fi has first been coined by Prof. Haas in his
TED talk: http://bit.ly/tedvlc.
• We investigate Li-Fi in the context of novel 5G technologies to solve the
looming spectrum crisis in wireless communications. Transmission
speeds of up to 10 Gbps have been demonstrated in our lab and it has
also been shown that Li-Fi does not required line-of-sight. Therefore, we
are now studying wireless system concepts based on Li-Fi technology.
We refer to a cellular Li-Fi network as an attocell network as the cell
sizes are smaller than in a typical radio frequency (RF) femtocell
network potentially unlocking very high area spectral efficiencies.
PhD Opportunities:
• Optical Multiuser MIMO
• Interference Management in Optical Attocell Networks
• The Internet-of-Things enabled by Li-Fi
• Li-Fi Spatial Modulation
• Novel Digital Modulation Techniques for Li-Fi
• Self-powered Li-Fi
Optical Multiuser MIMO
• Description: In this project we study optical multiuser MIMO
techniques in an optical attocell network. In particular, we exploit the
properties that intensity modulation (IM) does not suffer from
multipath fading, and that LEDs offer very directional beams. This
work will contribute novel algorithms for networked, multiuser Li-Fi
systems.
Interference Management in Optical
Attocell Networks
• Description: This project addresses the issue of co-channel
interference in an optical attocell network. The project will develop
novel interference cancellation techniques which are tailored to Li-Fi
signals. Moreover, the project will study cell cooperation techniques
as well as potential interference avoidance techniques taking into
account the particular signal propagation characteristics in the visible
light and infrared spectrum.
The Internet-of-Things enabled by Li-Fi
• Description: Li-Fi uses direct modulation without the need for
intermediate frequencies (super-heterodyning) in RF systems.
Moreover, it uses inexpensive optical components such as off-the-
shelf LEDs and photodetectors. It is, thus, possible to create small,
low-complex transceiver units that enable any LED light to act as a
high speed data transmitter. Similarly, various low-complexity
photodector solutions will be studied. Finally, this work will
investigate novel Li-Fi transceiver concepts and study Internet-of-
Things and sensor network scenarios based on the proposed
transceiver technology.
Li-Fi Spatial Modulation
• Description: Spatial modulation is a new digital modulation and
MIMO technique which enables highly energy-efficient transmitters as
it only requires a single transmitter chain. We explore spatial
modulation for Li-Fi transmitters and investigate how SM can be used
to support dimming. In addition, we study the impact of various
optical components such as polarisers and lenses on the performance
of optical spatial modulation.
Novel Digital Modulation Techniques for
Li-Fi
• Description: Li-Fi uses intensity modulation and direct detection.
Therefore, the signals must be strictly real valued and positive. These
constraints pose limitation on digital modulation techniques. These
limitations result in spectrum-efficiency or power-efficiency losses.
This project investigates novel digital modulation techniques for Li-Fi
that help overcome these limitations. The project will initially
compare state-of-the-art techniques such as multicarrier transmission
techniques such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexing
(OFDM), pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM) and carrier-less
amplitude modulation (CAP).
Self-powered Li-Fi
• Description: In this project we investigate energy harvesting concepts
for Li-Fi systems in combination with energy-efficient transceiver
technologies. This requires energy-efficient digital modulation
techniques and low computational complexity algorithms. Therefore,
investigations of new MAC and synchronisation techniques as well as
novel circuit designs are all within the scope of this project. The
project primarily targets sensor network applications.