Fujitsu develops tech that can embed ID data in light cast by LEDs

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Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd has developed a technology that can embed ID data in light cast by LEDs or other light sources onto objects, and also recover this ID data from objects that have been lit in this way.

By embedding data in light in a way that it is not detectable to the naked eye, an object that has been illuminated can convey data to a smartphone or other smart device. With previous technologies, data could only be conveyed to a user’s area, but with this technology, data can be conveyed at the level of an individual object. To capture the data, a user only needs to point a camera at the object. This technology enables products in a store, works of art, people, buildings and a variety of other objects to be the source of data transmission.

In recent years, the widespread ownership of smart devices and increasing prevalence of data transmission environments created to offer access to the cloud have made searches for information related to an object, even while being at the very site of the object, a commonplace occurrence, no matter what the time or place. Some existing technologies for linking a variety of physical objects with network services include NFC tags and QR codes, where identifying information is directly affixed to the object. Another technology is based on tying information services to the location, rather than the object itself, such as by using the global positioning system (GPS), or other methods based on Bluetooth, ultrasound, or visible light communication carried via radio waves, sound, or light.

Physically affixing identifying data to an object can diminish the appearance of the object itself. This and the limited range of devices supporting that technology have previously been issues. Conversely, using the object’s location means data can only be distributed to an area, such as a section of a store, for example. This made it difficult to distribute more granular information to individual objects, such as about whatever product or exhibit is in front of the user.

The technology modulates the color of light emitted by LED lights in such a way as to be undetectable to the human eye, but that can still embed ID data in the light that is cast on an object.