Comparative overview of UWB and VLC for data-intensive and security-sensitive applications

This paper provides a comparative overview of two short-range wireless technologies with high potential for use in various data-intensive and security-sensitive applications, namely, ultra wideband (UWB) and visible light communications (VLC). Both are emerging technologies with some unique features that draw a great research and commercial interest, also because of their applicability to the research in other fields, such as wireless robotics and communications, remote sensing and location-based communications, the medical field, and so forth. The paper outlines the most recent research and standardization developments for both technologies and gives a proposal for their suitability based on a comparative view, of the strengths and weaknesses for use in applications, such as home networking, vehicular communications, and medical care, including the main technical challenges.