As the world goes nuts with billion dollar startups (current count 125), it is always good to find promising technology that changes the game and does not have irrational exuberance … yet.
Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute and Red Bull Media House have developed Visible Light Communications [VLC] technology that can be considered as an alternative to Wi-Fi where environments warrant less interference or limited secure perimeters.
We spoke with Dr. Anagnostis Paraskevopoulos who was previously quoted as saying “It is without question that VLC technology can transfer many innovative approaches into practical solutions. However, the litmus test for this technology will be done in a real-world setting.”
Dr. Paraskevopoulos has already had many talks with potential marketplaces and currently sees the industrial manufacturing and wireless communications companies as potential early adopters. The rationale for the industrial manufacturing are the problems typical of a plant floor, including interference from the machines themselves. For the wireless communications, VLC is better and more accurate for beam forming 5G services when the technician has to target the receptors.
The transmission speeds of 2 Gigs per second suggest consumer consumption will come in time as well, and many people have shared with Dr. Paraskevopoulos that visible awareness of file transfers make the person doing the transmission feel more in control.
While personally I think ‘medical’ is a potential opportunity, to date their conversations with the medical professionals have not yielded compelling use cases.
You can find out more information HERE. If you are a VC, now would be a good time to find the blue ocean and get out of the “me, too” billionaire game.
QUICK LINKS 
