Research Overview

Li-Fi and optical camera communications (OCC) are emerging light communication technologies that have gained traction in the past few years in indoor and outdoor wireless communications. Li-Fi is a networked, bi-directional wireless communication technology that uses light to transmit/receive massive amounts of data at higher speeds for short-range communications. The study scope includes Li-Fi hardware components and OCC hardware and software components for market sizing and forecast. Li-Fi hardware includes mainly two components: 1) the Li-Fi access point, a Li-Fi-enabled LED lighting fixture and 2) a Li-Fi dongle as the photodetector to receive light signals and transmit data back. OCC’s main components include: 1) the OCC access point, similar to Li-Fi, integrated into a LED fixture module, 2) a modem with a unique identifier for modulation of light, 3) an optical image sensor to receive light signals on a smartphone’s front/rear camera, and 4) a cloud-based software platform to perform occupant analytics.

Increasing data volumes, along with the overcrowded Wi-Fi spectrum and demand for sophisticated network security and reliable network speed, spur demand for Li-Fi deployments in the critical and smart infrastructure segments. However, the high upfront cost of Li-Fi hardware and implementation and delay in integration of Li-Fi in electronic devices are expected to impact demand. The explosive growth of IoT and connected devices in buildings and factories drive demand for Li-Fi deployments in the office, retail, manufacturing industries, and other end-user segments. OCC is another emerging and promising communication technology anticipated to witness multifold growth through deployments in retail, offices, conferences, exhibitions, and museums for indoor navigation, indoor positioning, push notification, and broadcast communication applications in the next 5 to 7 years.

Frost & Sullivan projects device integration, laser-based Li-Fi, ultra-sensitive photodetectors, and the emergence of new use cases for critical and smart infrastructure segments to accelerate Li-Fi and OCC deployments in the forecast period. Market revenues are forecast to reach the billion-dollar mark at a 51.6% compound annual growth rate by 2027.