Lightbulbs Could Replace Wi-Fi Hotpsots

cellular-news.com

13 points·mariorz··10 comments

Just in case there are any angels or venture investors out there, we are working on a startup that competes directly with this technology. My co-founder, easily the smartest engineer I have ever known, has been developing LED drivers and controllers for the past 3 years. This evening he called me to let me know he had passed the 4 Mbit/sec threshold. His goal is to transmit full HD video over optical. This is significant because there is no other method for transmitting Hi-def video wirelessly.

It is incredible what can be done with low cost micro-controllers and a little low-level assembly know-how.

Bulbs won't work. The article is better than its heading, though. (LED do work.)

On a similar note I was wondering if the iPhone (screen or elsewhere) could produce enough IR radiation to function as a TV remote? Any thoughts?

Perhaps flash the screen backlight to produce IR signals?

You'd have to flash it at something like 38 kHz, but I have a feeling it doesn't support that.

So how do you seed your torrents at night? Sleep with the light on?

I think it can use be adapted to use infra-red.

Only problem: pockets

I wonder how two-way communication would work - flashing your laptop screen?

probably a dedicated peripheral, which you need to capture the light patterns anyway (right?).

What if I work in the dark?

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