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A group of scientists in China have invented the world’s first lightbulb that emits its own wifi signal.
Researchers at Fudan University in Shanghai, have developed a prototype for the new technology, which they have aptly named Li-Fi.
Experts claim the micro-chipped LED bulb works even better than the average wireless internet connection in China.
As many as four devices near the lightbulb can connect to its signal using light frequencies rather than radio waves, according to Gizmodo.
The bulb itself is embedded with a microchip that produces its signal, which at 150 megabites per second, is considerably faster than the average wifi connection in the country.
Next month researchers will unveil 10 sample lightbulbs and their accompanying kits at the International Industry Fair in Shanghai next month.
Experts suggest that this faster, cheaper and more energy efficient way of connecting to the internet could become common practice in Chinese homes, where more and more people are abandoning traditional lightbulbs in favour of LEDs.
Li-Fi reportedly only uses five per cent of the energy required to power other wifi-emitting devices which rely on cooling systems to supply internet to cell towers and stations.
Though the new technology is well suited to the country’s changing technological trends, developers have encountered problems in its design and manufacturing, with particular difficulty being found in the design of the microchip.
Moreover, the connection is lost if the light is turned off or if its bulb becomes blocked, according to technology experts Dvice.
Source: Dailymail