UC-Light: Center for Ubiquitous Communication by Light
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: The next generation of lighting will use more energy-efficient and sustainable white LEDs rather than today’s conventional incandescent and fluorescent products. Those LEDs can be modulated at a very high speed and thus serve as excellent transmitters for wireless digital communications while illuminating. With a proper data interface to a wired data network such as Ethernet, they make it possible to build a very-low-cost communication and navigation system on existing lighting infrastructure at negligible communication power beyond what is already being consumed for lighting. The Center for Ubiquitous Communication by Light (UC-Light) will develop unique high-speed ubiquitous communication and indoor navigation systems superimposed on LED lighting. The Center will integrate expertise from UC Riverside, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Merced, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to develop the innovations necessary for light-based communication and navigation. The goals of UC-Light are (1) to design, study and deliver realizable solutions to lighting design, distribution and control; (2) to build an architecture for wireless LED signaling and advanced optical communication and networking techniques; (3) to develop system-on-chip circuit integration; (4) to integrate positioning and indoor navigation with communication; and (5) to integrate these systems into architectural features of new construction and retrofits. The primary focus will be on indoor data communication and navigation systems superimposed on LED lighting, with extension to other scenarios later on such as street/ traffic light communication and aircraft reading light communication. Therefore, the project has strong fundamental research into understanding of complex interactions among different sub-systems as well as application components. It will lead to technology transfer to and directly stimulate the LED lighting or retail industries at the state and national levels. Some companies already have partnered with the Center members. This 5-year project beginning January 1, 2010, will help UC to achieve excellence in science and technology, pioneer this inherently multidisciplinary emerging area and cross fertilize multi-campus collaborative research that is impossible to perform in any single campus. Students and postgraduates across campuses will benefit from joint training under a well-designed strategic plan, share resources and research findings through a common web-based platform and industry-day demonstrations, and build close connections with California lighting and communication industry, government and retail entities. The proposed integrated energy-efficient lighting, communication and navigation solutions are anticipated to attract continuing research support from industry and government agencies – in particular the Department of Energy, which has significantly increased investment on LED research and development and has a close tie with Center members.