Yu xiang Liu - العربية

Yu Xiang Liu's innovation is Sun-Fi, an integrated hardware and software system that transforms the concept of sunlight modulation into a functional, spectrum-free optical wireless communication network for smart cities and sensor systems.

The idea was inspired by the widespread use of glass facades in modern buildings and the need to address the increasing power and spectrum strain on traditional wireless networks.

The Sun-Fi system uses a specially designed dual-cell liquid crystal shutter device, embedded in the window glass, to rapidly modulate the transparency of natural sunlight, which is then encoded into a light signal.

Internal optical sensors then receive this modified light to retrieve the data. This approach allows the same glass surfaces that provide natural light to simultaneously act as data transmitters, transforming windows into an active communication infrastructure.

The Sun-Fi system operates entirely on existing sunlight, requiring minimal power and no additional spectrum allocation. It supports multi-user communication in smart buildings, alleviating pressure on congested Wi-Fi networks and enabling secure, low-power connectivity for IoT sensors.

His work demonstrates the transition from a theoretical concept to a practical, deployable system, with future plans focusing on improving data rates through MIMO configurations, integrating frequency rates into standard glass, and partnering with real estate developers for widespread deployment in urban environments.