Boston University’s College of Engineering has launched a program to develop a Smart LIghting system that uses LEDs to trasmit wireless communications. The Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center is part of an $18.5 million, multi-year NSF program awarded to Boston University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of New Mexico. The goal of the program is to one day be able to have LED lights replace WiFI access points so that all your computer gadgets and electronics can talk to each other by using the available lighting in the room. It also keeps security limited to being in the room as lighting does not go through walls. However, they don’t mention how it works during the day as the data transmission is done over the electrical wiring but would the light have to be turned on for the signals to communicate? The idea is pretty cool and can be applied to other usages as well such as in cars so that brake lights can trigger cars behind you to slow down when you brake.

via Treehugger and Boston University