International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics

Volume 117 No. 17 2017, 179-186

ISSN: 1311-8080 (printed version); ISSN: 1314-3395 (on-line version)
url: http://www.ijpam.eu
Special Issue
ijpam.eu

TRANSMISSION OF DATA, AUDIO SIGNAL AND TEXT USING LI-FI

1
A.Vinnarasi, 2S.T.Aarthy
Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, SRM University, Chennai, India
1,2
Assistant Professor (O.G.), Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, SRM University
1
vinnarasi.a@ktr.srmuniv.ac.in, 2aarthy.s@ktr.srmuniv.ac.in

Abstract: With the onset of modern communication, and These LED’s have high switching speeds that enable
the increase in the bandwidth usage that led to its them to modulate according to the stream of bits that are
congestion, it is paramount that we find an alternative or sent. This transmission takes place in a parallel stream
a faster means of communication. Light Fidelity – more such that more data is being transmitted simultaneously.
commonly referred to as Li-Fi- is one such concept that is The switching speed is too fast to be visible to the naked
gaining momentum to become the possible alternative. In eye and thus this transmission is not noticeable. This
Li-Fi, the data is transmitted in several bit-streams technology was proposed by German physicist Harald
through high-speed flickering of the LED bulb and Haas in University of Edinburgh.
decoded on the receiver side which consists of a photo- Li-Fi, at its core is light-based Wi-Fi with the main
detector. This happens in the form of a binary difference is that it uses light instead of radio waves to
transmission of data, where ‘0’ is the LED in its ‘off- transmit data. The Li-Fi system would consist of regular,
state’ and ‘1’ is the LED in its ‘on-state’. In this paper, off-the-shelf, LED bulbs that provide internet or data
we use this concept to transmit data to demonstrate the transmission as well as illumination. It utilizes the visible
use-cases and the possible impact it can have in the ever- light portion of the electromagnetic spectrum (380 nm to
growing field of communication. In this paper, we 780 nm). Thus, it has 10,000 times more space available
transmit two types of data using Li-Fi: Audio and Text. thus more available bandwidth is present. Theoretically,
We study the various topologies to understand the it can reach the speeds up to 224 Gbps. [4]
characteristics a Li-Fi based system can have.
2. Related Works
Keywords: Visible Light Communication; Data
transmission; Li-Fi This section discusses the various advantages of VLC
and elucidates on the differences between Li-Fi and Wi-
1. Introduction Fi. By the year 2020, 10 billion devices will be
subscribed in the LTE, which would result in an
The demand for data usage has increased exponentially in exponential growth of wireless traffic demand and result
the last decade, people want to be connected to the in a congested, scarce, and expensive RF-spectrum. The
Internet all the time, on multiple devices, update the last few generations like 2G, 3G, etc., there have been
latest happenings etc. With the advent of IoT more many conventional methods employed to improve the
devices will connect to the LTE which will result in capacity of the spectrum like spatial re-use and inter-cell
congestion and decrease in speed. interference coordination. Li-Fi can play a major role in
To solve this crisis, multiple options were considered relieving the heavy loads which the current wireless
and one was to utilize the unused visible light spectrum systems face since it adds a new and unutilized
which gave rise to the new concept called Li-Fi. bandwidth of visible light to the currently available radio
waves for data transfer. [7]
Li-Fi: Visible Light Communication may also be used to
complement current RF systems as Li-Fi will guarantee
Li-Fi stands for Light-Fidelity which provides safer networks and higher speeds. In offices and schools
transmission of data through illumination by sending data the maximum data is exchange happens within the same
through an LED light bulb. Li-Fi uses Light Emitting building. Usage of Li-Fi system along with the 5G Wi-Fi,
Diodes (LED) which have high modulation bandwidth would help solve this issue. Due to Li-Fi, the
and energy efficient illumination. transmission of video etc., will become faster, since it is

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viewed or downloaded, indoors and 5G can be used only AUDIO SEGMENT:

when data exchange is needed outside the premises. [4]
[7] The transmission of audio signal was done through a
Wi-Fi is very susceptible to man-in-the-middle attacks phone at the transmitter end, providing the audio signal
etc. Li-Fi works only in LOS condition which thus, through the 3.5 mm jack that would convert the digital
increases the security of the transmission. The technology signal to an analog signal. This analog signal is amplified
is highly directional and localized as communication only and sent to the array of LEDs that were connected on the
takes place where the light can be seen, therefore the breadboard. A power supply is also given to the LED
light can be directed towards certain areas within the array. This power supply is provided by a 9V battery that
office. is connected to the 3.5 mm jack and the LED array.
Visible light cannot penetrate opaque objects, which This variation in the intensity of light, however, is
means that the wireless signal is constrained to within a captured on a solar panel that acts as a photodetector. It
strictly defined area of illumination. Secure can be captures all the variations and sends the received signal
created by closing blinds and shutting doors. [7] to the pre-amplified speaker.
Using the same concept, instead of providing an
3. Design Methodology analog signal from a phone, a text to speech software was
used. A text was typed into the software and the software
Li-Fi can be used for transmission of audio signals, text, reads out the text.
images, and videos. It can also be used for providing This audio signal, generated while reading out the
internet. text, was transmitted through the fluctuation of LED
This paper mainly deals with the transmission of two arrays as mentioned above, and captured on a solar panel.
types of data; audio waves and text. We have transmitted This was then heard through a pre-amplified speaker. [8]
audio signals from one source to one output (SISO), more
than one source to a single output (MISO), more than one TEXT SEGMENT:
source to multiple outputs (MIMO) and studied
topologies and different characteristics and variations The text transmission segment, was done in three parts.
observed in the data being transmitted at different setups. Firstly, text transmission from Arduino to itself.
[2] We have achieved the transmission of text between Secondly, text transmission between two Arduinos using
two users using a setup of Arduino boards, L.E.D. and IR. Thirdly, text transmission between two Arduinos
Silicon photo-diode. using VLC.
Li-Fi can also be used to transmit images and
eventually even provide internet by using modulation 4. Data Transmission
techniques like OFDM. [2] Li-Fi when combined with
Wi-Fi, provides an ideal set up where the disadvantages The transmission was done in various parts: Audio and
of Li-Fi are covered up by the handoffs of the devices to Video.
Wi-Fi. [7]
A. Audio Transmission using Li-Fi
The transmission of audio signal was done through a
Smartphone at the transmitter end, providing the audio
signal through the 3.5 mm jack. The 3.5mm audio jack
and the input audio from the phone is converted from
digital to analog. A typical 3.5mm audio jack has three
output lines namely, right, left and the ground. The left
and right have the audio output signal, which is
connected to the negative of the 9V battery. The ground
of the 3.5mm jack is given to the negative of the LED
array connected on a breadboard and the positive of the
9V array is given to the resistors in series with the LED
array.
This circuit effectively modulates the intensity of the
LED’s light, which acts as carrier wave, according to the
effective voltage difference. The fluctuations occur at a
high speed, invisible to the naked human eye. Thus, the

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variation in intensity of light from the LED array is not

realized by the human eye. Effects of reflection off white wall
This variation in the intensity of light, however, is Si.no.
captured on a solar panel that acts as a photo detector. It Transmitters Observation
captures all the variations and sends the received signal 10-15cm
to the pre-amplified speaker. The analog signal that was 1. White LEDs
transmitted through the fluctuating LED array to the solar
panel gets amplified in the pre-amplified speaker and
emits the sound waves to be heard from the speaker. The
sound intensity received from the speaker varies based on 10mm LEDs
the distance of the solar panel from the LED arrays. This 2.
shows that the information can be received from the line
45cm
of sight of the LED array.
As the distance between LED array and the solar
panel increases, the intensity of light reduces and the
light becomes more scattered thus, making it difficult for
the solar panel to detect all the light rays being emitted. Varying mediums using 10mm LEDs
Si.no. Maximum
Medium
Range
1. Plastic 50cm

2. Water 50cm

3. Glass 90cm

4. Air 200cm

b) Graphs
a) Observations Based on the tables shown above, graphs were designed
to give a clearer description of the variation in the
Si.no. Trials with various components characteristics. The transmitted data is passed through
Setup Observation different mediums to observe the characteristics b)
1. Use of rechargeable No change
battery

Using two batteries in

2. series
No change

3. Using two solar panels No change

Reduced clarity
4. Using 10mm LEDs but increased
distance.

5. Using colored LEDs No change

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Li-Fi based Audio transmission is the live transmission

of Audio signals without any signal loss. The sound
clarity is clear and loud and using a focusing lens further
enhances the output received.
The 4G audio streaming shows that Li-Fi can work as
a complementary network with 4G or 5G. Most
corporates and schools use internet to access video or
text. By completing the 4G audio we can indicate that
video streaming too can be done using Li-Fi. This would
mean that educational institutions and organizations
could utilize their illumination systems for data. This
would give them the ability to access Videos and Audio
files without use of cellular data and Wi-Fi. [6]
The study of topology shows that multiple users can
access the same luminary without data loss. This is an
important aspect of Li-Fi, where each light in a room can
cater to many users. [1]

B. Text Transmission

The various stages of text transmission that was done are:

a) Micro-controller to itself

A circuit is designed such that the LED and a

phototransistor are interfaced with an Arduino. An
algorithm is mounted on the Arduino. When data is
transmitted to the Arduino using the serial monitor, the
LED flickers. These flickers are captured by the photo-
diode, which is then decoded to the original data. The
algorithm consists of different binary values for each
alphabet or character that is to be entered. These binary
values are based on the switching of LED bulbs between
on state and off state. When the data to be transmitted is
entered, the LED blinks according to the characters
entered. The photo-diode decodes these blinks based on
the binary values entered in the algorithm. In this way, a
single micro controller transmits the data and receives it
on another serial port.

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b) One-way communication using IR measuring the various flickers of the LED bulb when
each character, alphabets (capital letters and the lower-
One-way PC-to-PC transmission using an IR transmitter case letters), numbers etc. The photodiode decodes the
and Receiver is achieved using two Arduino Uno boards. flickers by mapping it to the corresponding ASCII code.
Each Arduino board is connected a PC using the COM [4]
ports of the PC. At the transmitter side, once the program
is compiled and uploaded to the board the text is entered
on a serial monitor of Arduino. This data is processed in
the Atmega 328, microprocessor, present in an Arduino
Uno board. The processed data converts ASCII
characters into binary bits, which flickers the IR LED
that is interfaced with the Arduino board.
This flickering is captured in the receiving side IR
receiver, which is interfaced with another Arduino board
connected on a COM port of another PC. The receiver
accepts the binary values from the transmitter and its
processor converts these binary bits into ASCII
characters. The receiver side has a dictionary in the code,
which prints the alphanumeric character with respect to
the received ASCII code. This alphanumeric character
can be viewed in the serial monitor of the receiver
Arduino Uno. This works only in LOS condition as the Error Free transmission was achieved in both One-
IR transmitter and receiver cannot communicate beyond Way and Two-Way transmission. With off the shelf LED
2cms. is a communication distance of 22cms was observed.
Using better grade LED’s and Photodiodes can enable
two-way communication to much greater distances.
This research paper presents a novel approach to
combat the Phishing attacks. An approach is proposed
where user will retrieve the one-time password by Li-Fi
Device LCD screen. After receiving the one-time
password, the application software will create an
encrypted token for the user’s computer/device for
authentication. The encrypted token will be used for
identification, any time user wishes to access the website
he/she must request the new password. The one-time
password as name implies will expire after single use.
The one-time password and encrypted token is a smart
way to tackle this problem. [9]
c) One- way communication using VLC
d) Text to Speech
In the previous case, text message was from one PC to
another via IR sensors. This segment uses VLC for the There are various reasons why text to speech is used a lot
same one-way communication. Two Arduino boards especially in e learning courses; it is easier to understand
were taken on the transmitter side and receiver side when words are converted into speech thus
respectively, with a setup like that of the above case. The accommodating learning difficulties. It also develops
transmitter side, however, was interfaced with an LED. literacy and speech skills.
The receiver, with a silicon photodiode 2CU10A. Text to speech also increases the number of
The designed algorithm was run through the Arduino opportunities for blind people. This can be used in
on both the sides (transmitter and the receiver), the LED normal educational institutions thus keeping the blind in
flickers based on the message being sent. The photodiode pace with the normal people.
acts optical sensor picks up these variations and the Various software converts text to speech. Now this
Arduino board of the receiver side translates these speech must be transmitted to multiple users, sending an
captured flickers to the message that was being sent. The audio file over Wi-Fi can take some time, and this is
algorithm of the receiver side was designed after where Li-Fi comes in handy.

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As the person is typing, that text is converted into TEXT TRANSMISSION:

speech using text to speech conversion software, the
source for (e.g., a laptop or a mobile phone) is further Error Free transmission was achieved in both One- Way
connected to a Li-Fi audio hardware. This hardware then and Two-Way transmission. With off the shelf LED’s a
transmits the speech via light to one or multiple receivers, communication distance of 22cms was observed. Using
which consists of a speaker. better grade LED’s and Photodiodes can enable two-way
Using Li-Fi for text to speech will eliminate various communication to much greater distances.
issues like delay in the speech and the cost.
ONE WAY TRANSMISSION:
5. Result and Discussion
One-Way transmission can be proposed where the user
The Li-Fi system proposed in this paper is capable of will retrieve the one-time password through VLC on a
transmitting data such as text, audio between two devices LCD screen. Upon receiving this one-time password, the
at the speed of a few kbps. The main requirement is line software will create a public key or an encrypted token
of sight between the sender and the receiver and hence it for the user’s computer/device for authentication. This
can be used to transmit data within a room. token will act as an authentication key and the user will
receive a new password for every log in. This can give
AUDIO TRANSMISSION: more security and confidentiality.

Li-Fi based Audio transmission is the live transmission of TWO WAY TRANSMISSION:
Audio signals without any signal loss. The sound clarity
is clear and loud and using a focusing lens further VLC is a promising method of secured communication
enhances the output received. indoors. It applies to areas where sensitive information
The 4G audio streaming shows that Li-Fi can work as need to be transferred without the risk of leaks. Current
a complementary network with 4G or 5G. Most communication techniques have vulnerabilities as
corporates and schools use internet to access video or discussed earlier in this paper which can be overcome
text. By completing the 4G audio we can indicate that using VLC. We have used this VLC technology in this
video streaming too can be done using Li-Fi. This would paper to create an Arduino chat which can be made
mean that educational institutions and organizations can secure and independent of Wi-Fi vulnerabilities.
utilize their illumination systems for data. This would There are multiple options by which we can protect
give them the ability to access Videos and Audio files data in VLC. The VLC has two innate qualities which
without use of cellular data and Wi-Fi. ensures security, the first being the fact that artificial
The study of topology shows that multiple users can lights cannot penetrate opaque materials and the second
access the same luminary without data loss. This is an is that communication happens only when receiver and
important aspect of Li-Fi, where each light in a room can transmitter are in line of sight condition. This ensures that
cater to many users. only those who are in the specific room and very close to
the light source only receive the data. This protects the
TEXT TO SPEECH: data from external threats or online hacking which can be
circumvented.
The text to speech using Li-Fi can be directly There are ways to make the transmission more secure.
implemented in Blind Indoor Navigation Systems. This can be done by adding a predefined password on the
Indoor navigation is convenient for everyone, and it is transmitter and receiver terminals. So, when the system is
especially indispensable for the visually impaired. Such a accessed the system prompts the user to enter the
navigation system for the visually impaired as shown in password. Only then can the data be transmitted or
the below Figure. LED lights emit visible light with received.
location data and by using embedded systems or
smartphone instead of Arduino with a visible light 6. Conclusion and Future Scope
receiver for receiving the data the Li-Fi enabled text to
speech can be employed as an alternative for the blind. In this paper, a real-time audio broadcast prototype off
The embedded system or smartphone would calculate the the shelf LED’s are used, it is envisaged that using
optimal path to a designation and would speak to the commercial LED lamps would result in higher distances
visually impaired through a headphone. In a VLC-based of transmission. It is shown that transmission of high
system, a receiver in the headset would detect the signal quality audio with the distance of 1 m can be achieved
from the nearest LED and play the relevant commentary.

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International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics Special Issue

and improvements can be made by adding focusing lens [8] Yingjie He, Liwei Ding, Yuxian Gong, Yongjin
between the transmitter and the receiver. Wang,“Real-time Audio & Video Transmission System
In the data transmission prototype, the encoding and Based on Visible Light Communication ”,June 2013.
decoding can be used in the transmitter part and receiver
part to reduce the error in transmission. In addition, the [9] M. Mutthamma, “A survey on Transmission of
data transmission rate could be enhanced by using fast data through illumination - Li-Fi”, December 2013
switching multiple LED’s. The tests were carried out
indoors under ambient light conditions. Larger coverage [10] T. Padmapriya, V.Saminadan, “Performance
of area for transmission can be obtained by using LED Improvement in long term Evolution-advanced network
arrays. using multiple imput multiple output technique”, Journal
VLC is still in a very early stage; however, it is a of Advanced Research in Dynamical and Control
promising technology with a wide range of prospective Systems, Vol. 9, Sp-6, pp: 990-1010, 2017.
applications. The interest in VLC is increasing
throughout the world and we can soon expect many real- [11] S.V.Manikanthan and K.Baskaran “Low Cost
world applications. VLSI Design Implementation of Sorting Network for
Li Fi is a fast and cheap wireless-communication ACSFD in Wireless Sensor Network”, CiiT International
system. The increasing demand for higher bandwidths, Journal of Programmable Device Circuits and
faster and more secure data transmission as well as Systems,Print: ISSN 0974 – 973X & Online: ISSN 0974
environmental and undoubtedly human friendly – 9624, Issue : November 2011, PDCS112011008.
technology heralds the start of a major shift in wireless
technology, a shift from RF to optical wireless [12] S.V.Manikanthan and T.Padmapriya “Recent
technologies. The possibilities are numerous and research Trends In M2m Communications In 4g Networks And
can provide us with many solutions. This technology can Evolution Towards 5g”, International Journal of Pure and
be used to make every LED bulb into a Li-Fi hotspot to Applied Mathematics, ISSN NO:1314-3395, Vol-115,
transmit data wirelessly and will proceed to give us a Issue -8, Sep 2017.
safer, faster and a greener network.
[13] Rajesh, M., and J. M. Gnanasekar.
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