Design in relation to technology refers to the study involving the construction of man-made objects used to solve human needs. The devices designed must always meet the set scientific standards. The Li-Fi project is a design that was done by a group of Chinese scientists who succeeded to produce internet signals which were sent exclusively through light bulbs.
The process of conducting the tests involved hooking up of computers to LED bulbs. Thus, they were able to connect to the web using light waves as a carrier instead of the usual radio frequencies as is the case with Wi-Fi.
The scientists were able to prove that the designed project could transfer data at a rate of 150mbps. Furthermore, they made the LED lights to act as digital switches by using them to either connect to the internet or cut the connection.
Hence, this technology has made it possible to pave way for LED bulbs to be retrofitted and turned into hotspot access points for broadband networks in both home and office networks (Designboom 2013).
The internet is a resource used by each and every individual including the government, companies, institutions and enterprises. The technology is superb as it addresses the needs of most people in society. The internet is an asset for everyone whether young or old and in addition it is of utmost importance to all.
The Li-Fi design is a very good piece of technology since it is cost effective and efficient. The cost of LED bulbs is extremely low as compared to the Wi-Fi adapters, access points and repeaters used for the usual broadband connections for both wide area networks and local area networks.
The design is sustainable as LED bulbs are available in each and every country in the world. Acquiring LED bulbs will not be a problem in any region even in the third world countries. The Li-Fi project is a very viable project as it does not require a lot of technological expertise like Wi-Fi and the technology is simple and if understood can be implemented by an ordinary individual as long as they have basic knowledge of networking.
The Li-Fi project is also a very innovative project as internet connection is a very dynamic field. This design meets the criteria that the field of internet connection requires because it is fast, cheap and very flexible. It also makes internet connection easily accessible to areas where there is no broadband coverage.
The design is aesthetic as it captures the eye of a viewer. It makes an individual develop interest to learn more about the device. Thus, considering the usefulness of the design, it is applicable to everyone irrespective of the generational, religious and cultural differences.
As far as portability is concerned the design did not meet the standards since it looks bulky and not easily portable (Schubert 2003). The Li-Fi project seems very massive as depicted by its image. It would require a lot of space to be able to accommodate this piece of technology.
Although, weighing the strengths and weaknesses of the Li-Fi project I would say it is worth a try. Slow internet connection is one of the most annoying things in the world and this design curbs the problem as the speed of 150 megabits by second is considerably high. Thus, this design if implemented will be a success.
Works Cited
Designboom 2013. Internet connections through LED bulbs + light-waves (LiFi). Web.
Schubert, Fred. Light-Emitting Diodes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003. Print.