VLC/LiFi for NextG Wireless

Next-generation (NextG) wireless networks face challenges such as a shortage of available spectrum and a high degree of heterogeneity in terms of device classes, deployment environments, and mobility levels. Optical wireless technologies, including unlicensed visible light communications (VLC) links and LiFi networks, present a promising opportunity to revolutionize future networks. For instance, the existing indoor lighting infrastructure, utilizing power over Ethernet (PoE), can provide data transmission alongside high-quality illumination in smart buildings. This technology has the potential to offer over 1000 times the bandwidth of the entire radio frequency (RF) spectrum, and coexisting with RF wireless technologies is a viable strategy to address the heterogeneity issue. In this talk, we will discuss the potential applications and building blocks of VLC and LiFi technology. We will also explore various research challenges and articulate both classical and data-driven machine learning (ML) approaches to address them. Finally, we will highlight the ongoing standardization efforts and the commercial challenges associated with these technologies.