Light-based IoT: Opportunities and Challenges for Visible Light Communications Technology

This paper discusses the idea of a light-based Internet of Things (LIoT) in which light is exploited to both, harvest energy to power up the IoT node as well as to create wireless communication links and other functionalities. This can be seen as an “expose-and-connect” (E C) concept, where energy- autonomous nodes are wirelessly connected to internet as soon as they are exposed to light. This concept opens up an extraordinarily wide array of possible use cases and applications. The basic principles of this novel approach are discussed, including different access architectures and implementation techniques. The role of printed electronics as an highly attractive implementation technology is highlighted, very thin printable tags could be created, with a number of integrated functionalities, including wireless communications. These tags could be manufactured at very low cost and any form factors, converting virtually any object on which they are attached, into an IoT node. Technical challenges as well as ideas for further development are also presented and discussed.