Wireless real-time communication via light

Fraunhofer IPMS has combined Li-Fi and time-sensitive networking (TSN) to enable real-time and deterministic data transmission wirelessly.

By Fraunhofer IPMS November 19, 2019

Previously, real-time data transmission via cable was carried out using special fieldbus systems. This makes it unsuitable for mobile applications in industrial robots and automation technology. Fraunhofer IPMS has combined Li-Fi and time-sensitive networking (TSN) to enable real-time and deterministic data transmission wirelessly. This enables mobile applications such as industrial robots or dynamic manufacturing cells to communicate wirelessly and in real time via TSN standard.

“Li-Fi is a technology for wireless data transmission by means of light and offers the possibility to realize transmission times in the microsecond range. In addition, the data connection with Li-Fi is reliable and offers consistent quality,” said Dr. Alexander Noack, head of development at Fraunhofer IPMS. “Li-Fi is therefore an ideal medium for real-time and deterministic wireless data communication. In this way, time-sensitive networking can also be implemented without cables.”

TSN extends existing Ethernet standards by deterministic and real-time data transmission through a common network. Especially in the field of modern production, high bandwidth and guaranteed cycle times of less than one millisecond are required. A time-critical and prioritized control of the data streams is indispensable for this.

“Until now, real-time data transmission for TSN was wired. However, radio transmission would be an alternative, but there are clear limits,” Dr. Noack said. “With today’s radio standards such as 4G, LTE, W-LAN or the future 5G radio standard, required latency times from automation in the microsecond range cannot be achieved. The Fraunhofer IPMS therefore integrates TSN into a Li-Fi hotspot.”

– Edited from a Fraunhofer IPMS press release by CFE Media. See more Control Engineering wireless stories.