Research in Visual Light Communications (VLC)
Advances in photonic device technologies are expected to completely replace lighting systems as we know them within the next 15 years. Less obvious is the unique opportunity this transformation presents to enable ubiquitous data networking of a vast array of physical objects. This networking is feasible because LEDs in these future lighting systems can be digitally modulated. From people, their personal communicators (PDAs), automobiles, motors, pallets, and boxes - to sensor systems (e.g., surveillance, ecological monitoring), biometric clothing, property tracking, and smart spaces (e.g., rooms that adapt to occupants’ preferences), this new connectivity, and it's improved throughput, latency, and functionality, will be nothing short of revolutionary.
We are excited to explore opportunities in the use of LED-based communications, both independently or in hybrid models with radio frequency (RF) techniques, in several settings.
For more information about FSO research, please view Professor Little's VLC Presentation on the Publications page.
The Smart Lighting Center is supported by Hatice Altug's Laboratory of Integrated Nanophotonics and Biosensing Systems (LINBS) and two testbeds – an Outdoor Communications and Transportation Testbed and an Indoor Communciations Testbed. The Smart Lighting Center is also associated with a wide variety of related research labs and centers.
Outdoor Communications and Transportation Testbed
The ERC Outdoor Communications and Transportation testbed will facilitate the investigation of issues related to medium-range LED-based communication derived from outdoor lighting. This lighting is common in public and private infrastructure and as mandated by building codes (e.g., street, building, and signage illumination). It is also common on vehicles and in traffic infrastructure including car and air transportation.
Specific scenarios modeled in the testbed include vehicle to vehicle (V2V) and vehicle to infrastructure (V2I) communications supporting goals of (a) improved safety, (b) reduced carbon emissions, (c) energy conservation, (d) connectivity, (e) improved throughput and latency, and (f) new functionality.
Although LEDs are commonly used in automotive and infrastructure lighting (brake lights, traffic lights), there remain key challenges to achieving effective modulation and communication between devices, especially while they are moving or in the presence of sunlight.
The testbed facilities will include LED-based traffic signaling devices, outdoor electronic signage, automotive headlights and taillights, and will explore medium range (50m) communications using visible light from LED illumination.
Specific targets for the use of LED-based lighting in outdoor scenarios are as follows:
- Street/traffic/brake lighting with range of 50m
- Message delivery failure rate < 1%; latency <100ms
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Indoor Communications Testbed
The ERC Indoor testbed is intended to facilitate the investigation of issues related to short-range visible light communication found inside buildings, aircraft, auditoriums, etc, (containers). These containers typically require man-made illumination and are less susceptible to the effects of sunlight.
There are several relevant scenarios prevalent in these ‘containers’: (a) high-bandwidth-density data dissemination, such as required for wireless streaming of HD video inside an aircraft to individual seats, (b) low-data rate ‘trickle’ as required to support interconnection of wireless sensors and actuators such as thermostats, light switches, and other devices in the realm of ambient computing and sensor networking, and (c) mobile data access as required to interconnect people with electronic devices (e.g., PDAs).
By leveraging the existence of illumination devices in providing communications and networking infrastructure, we can potentially achieve higher penetration of connectivity in these settings. Radio frequency (RF) techniques for networking are expected to continue to play important roles in wireless communications and effort will be committed to identifying complementary roles for FSO and RF communications in the indoor testbed (e.g., asymmetric channels for download and upload as are common in consumer Internet distribution networks).
The testbed facilities will include a suite of test equipment for the investigation of the design space for visible light LED based communication with an emphasis on high-bandwidth-density scenarios. Prototypes will be explored in the context of indoor LED lighting (desk and overhead units) modified to support modulation and connectivity to fixed (e.g., desktop PCs, sensor net nodes) and mobile (e.g., PDAs) transceivers.
Specific targets for the use of LED-based lighting for communication in indoor scenarios are as follows:
- Bandwidth density > 10Mb/s/m3 volumetric (or m2 planar)
- Illumination with diffuse lighting, WPAN data rates (up to 250Kbps/room)
- Energy consumption comparable to WPAN levels (10’s of mA when active)
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Laboratory of Integrated Nanophotonics and Biosensing Systems (LINBS)
The capability to confine and manipulate photons at nanometer-length scales can open up unprecedented opportunities both in the fields of classical and quantum information processing, as well as in fundamental life sciences. This lab will develop nanophotonic devices in support of optical communications as well as for other thrust areas in the Smart Lighting ERC (e.g., on-chip biosensing). For communication applications, we are developing ultrafast lasers, ultra-efficient light emitting diodes and photonic crystal devices that can slow down the light. For biotechnology applications, we are using plasmonic nanostructures and photonic crystal cavities for realization of high-throughput, ultra sensitive and label free biosensors. To accomplish our goals, we are developing new computational modeling and advanced nanofabrication techniques including nano/bio-patterning and microfluidics. Our biosafety level-2 lab is capable of cell culturing and includes a modified AFM for surface functionalization. Our lab also houses state-of the art optical measurement equipments and computational clusters.
Learn more about Hatice Altug's lab...
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