Interactive Visible Light Communications (iVLC): Supporting Wireless Communications and Smart Visual Interaction with a Common Lighting Infrastructure

The concept of interactive visible light communications (iVLC) is introduced and discussed in this paper. iVLC exploits a matrix of solid-state light luminaries in multiple ways, namely providing lighting and wireless communications as well as supporting visual signaling and interaction. Every individual element of the light matrix can be exploited in multiple domains, i.e., space, time, color, intensity and data. As a result, the lighting infrastructure works a flexible platform that can be exploited in wide range of applications and use cases. The paper discusses attractive applications of iVLC, particularly in the school of the future, health-care and office spaces. Multiple classroom tasks can be supported by iVLC, including orchestration of activities, feedback between students and teachers, dynamic grouping, etc.