STM Article Repository

Visible light communication (VLC) has grown in popularity in recent years to meet the growing demand for data traffic. On the other hand, as global awareness of energy-related issues rises, solar cells with dual functions of energy harvesting and data collection, emerge as the preferred choice for photodetectors on the receiver circuit of the VLC system.

This study investigates the design of a low-cost Light Fidelity (Li-Fi) system that employs a solar panel as a photodetector. The proposed system is capable of simultaneous data transmission and energy harvesting.

The generated energy has the potential to power a user terminal or, at the very least, to extend its operational time. The various factors that affect the Li-Fi communication channel are also covered, including distance, and the viewing angle between transmitter and receiver. The algorithms for modulation and demodulation have been clarified, and they have been implemented on the software level using Arduino. The prototype was put to test by sending a text message from one PC to another over visible light.