Light tech company strikes US Army-_118232775_gettyimages-1224533031.jpg


High-tech Scottish high-tech company PureLiFi announces a multi-million dollar deal to provide the US military with optical wireless communications.Kitefin's Li-Fi system makes use of light frequencies rather than radio frequencies to deliver data securely.The deal with the US military in Europe and Africa marks the world's first large-scale deployment of Li-Fi technology.PureLifi said it had invested $ 4.2 million (£ 3 million) in deployment.


Li-fi - short for "light fidelity" - is a new technology first developed in Edinburgh.The term was coined by University of Edinburgh professor Harald Haas who in 2011 showed how an LED lamp equipped with signal processing technology could stream high definition video to a computer.According to pureLifi, while radio frequencies can It can "detect and target", but its technology cannot detect it other than the "cone" of the intended coverage.


PureLifi said the เอ็กโอ US military's Kitefin system would be deployed in "Real tactical and strategic environment" after the pilot started showcasing in 2019.Andrew Foreman, chief technology officer for the US Army in Europe and Africa, said: "The inclusion of optical wireless in the commander's toolbox was essential for the survival of communications, command and control systems and, more importantly, the military.PureLifi describes the deal as "The turning point in the introduction of Li-Fi technology



'Never-before-seen benefit'


Chief Executive Alistair Banham said, "If one of the world's most important and advanced defense organizations can rely on Li-Fi for the most important communications, then Li-Fi can provide an unprecedented benefit to consumers.Li-fi, like many previous technologies, is a classic journey of defense adoption to gain wide acceptance in the consumer market.The first major installations with the US, European and African armies are just the beginning.


According to pureLifi, Li-Fi technology can "unleash more reliable wireless communications with unparalleled security" compared to conventional technologies such as cellular Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.Over the years the University of Edinburgh has safely invested $ 18 million (£ 12.9 million) to help the company bring its products to the mass market.Investors include Singapore-based investment firm and Scottish Investment Bank, a division of Scottish Enterprise.In 2019, pureLiFi released a gigabit component designed for use with mobile phones and consumer electronics.