Introducing A New Paradigm in Visible Light Communications: Light Distribution With Optical Fibers

This paper introduces a new approach to Visible Light Communications (VLC) by utilizing optical fibers for decorative purposes while investigating their potential in VLC applications. An in-vehicle prototype was developed and tested, consisting of a VLC emitter distributing light through 500 optical fibers on a 1 x 2 meters’ surface to a mobile VLC receiver. Experimental results show the concept’s viability, achieving a BER below $10^{-7}$ for typical in-vehicle distances and demonstrating suitability for multiple data streams using wavelength division multiplexing. As far as we know, the use of optical fiber distributed light in VLC applications has not been addressed before.