Optical Wireless Communications - An Emerging Technology

Optical wireless communication (OWC) enables wireless connectivity using infrared, visible or ultraviolet bands. With its powerful features such as high bandwidth, low cost and operation in an unregulated spectrum, OWC can be, in some applications, a powerful alternative to and, in others, complementary to the existing wireless technologies. It is one of the most promising current areas of research with significant potentials for high-impact results which will considerably change the wireless market mostly dominated by the radio-frequency (RF) technologies. In this paper, we provide an overview of OWC highlighting the advantages and wide range of application areas of this emerging technology.