ELIoT: New features in LiFi for next-generation IoT

The Internet of Things currently is predominantly narrowband and cannot always guarantee high reliability and low latency. Future IoT applications such as flexible manufacturing, augmented reality and self-driving vehicles need sophisticated real-time processing units in the cloud to which mobile IoT devices are connected. These high-capacity links meet the requirements of the upcoming 6G systems and cannot be facilitated by the current mobile communication infrastructure. Light communication, which is also denoted as LiFi, offers huge amounts of spectrum, extra security and interference-free transmission. We present the current state-of-the-art of LiFi systems and introduce new features needed for future IoT applications. We propose a distributed Multiple-Input Multiple-Output topology with a fronthaul using plastic optical fiber. Such a system offers seamless mobility between the light access points and also to 5G, besides low latency and integrated positioning. Future LiFi development, implementation and efforts towards standardization are addressed in the EU ELIoT project which is presented here.