DEC 29

The municipal offices of St. Cloud, Minnesota are the first in the country to install a visible light communication system in place of Wi-Fi.  The system, which uses LED fixtures to connect office computers to the internet, is saving lots of energy, and the city of St. Cloud lots of money on energy bills.

The system was installed by LVX System, a Minnesota-based start-up and consists of LED lights that flicker thousands of times per second at speeds undetectable by the human eye.  The flickering of light communicates binary code to special modems attached to computers below (off is zero, on is one) that then transmit data back to the fixtures where a sensor receives the data and transmits it over the internet.

According to LVX, the systems save 30 to 80 percent on lighting costs, usually enough to match or mostly pay for the internet service.  One of the LED fixtures uses about 36 watts of power compared to 100 watts used by a similar fluorescent office lighting fixture.

LVX sees the technology as not only an energy-effiicient and cost-effective alternative to Wi-Fi, but a solution to overcrowded Wi-Fi networks and the slower connections they create.

Right now, the LVX system can transmit about 3 Mbps, roughly the speed of a residential DSL line. So, it's not exactly ready to be swapped in for Wi-Fi in most businesses, but LVX expects to increase that speed. The company is also working on making smart lights that brighten and dim depending on available natural light and turn off automatically when a room empties.

via AP

Comments (8)

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I know what will happen.
written by Yaos, December 29, 2010

Every user will cover up the modem with a pile of papers/lunch and then call support that they can't get on the internet.

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Energy Efficiency
written by Patrick Newell, December 30, 2010

I love the state of the energy efficiency and technology world right now. It feels like we are on the verge of many killer ideas like this one. Thanks for the article Ecogeek!

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written by Rolan, December 30, 2010

Reading the title, my first thought was:
"One if by land, two if by sea"

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Someone Is Thinking
written by Bill, December 31, 2010

What an idea. It amazes me how people can think of this stuff and then build it. Hope to see an update to see if this really works.

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Good idea, if limited
written by Brian, January 05, 2011

I don't think it can replace wifi because each computer or other device (e.g. smartphone) has to have line of sight to the light source, nothing on top, etc. It would be fine in many or most offices but not at home. Anyone else ever use the laptop with the lights out?

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Smart LED lighting communications Hybrids
written by Charles G. Nutter, February 08, 2011

This idea was part of my thesis delivered at Caltech-JPL 1993. It is an old idea by now. There are few improvements that could help. See ya at the LightFaire.

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written by TJ, February 24, 2011

I would have thought that a wired network would still be more eco-friendly to run.

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written by SolidApollo.com, March 10, 2011

I can see the power saving on the light, but I dont see the benefit of having internet through light. Also I will be very easy to hack the lights, or read people transmissions.

One problem: If the lights fail you wont be able to see the phone to call for support to your ISP....

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