applsci-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Visible Light Communications (VLC) Networks

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2025 | Viewed by 2735

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Informatics and Telecommunications, Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago 8370067, Chile
Interests: visible light communications; optical wireless communications; channel modeling; wireless communication systems; underground communication systems; industrial communication systems

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Electrical Engineering, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8370451, Chile
Interests: visible light communications; optical wireless communications; channel modeling; wireless communication systems; underground communication systems; industrial communication systems; Internet of Things; 6G communications; terahertz bands
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As demand for high-speed, reliable communication networks continues to increase, VLC technology is emerging as a revolutionary solution, leveraging the ubiquitous infrastructure of LED lighting to transmit data. VLC technology uses the visible light spectrum, an unregulated resource, to offer high bandwidth and secure communication channels. Therefore, it presents a promising alternative to traditional RF-based systems, particularly in environments where RF interference is a problem or where the RF spectrum is congested.

VLC's unique properties make it suitable for a wide range of applications, including indoor positioning, vehicular communication, underwater communication, and the burgeoning field of the Internet of Things (IoT). Consequently, this Special Issue aims to explore the latest advances, challenges, and applications of VLC networks, providing a comprehensive overview of this cutting-edge field.

This Special Issue will publish high-quality, original research papers, in the following overlapping fields:

  • Innovative modulation and coding techniques applied to visible light communications.
  • Visible light communication system design and optimization.
  • Hybrid systems that combine VLC with RF, Wi-Fi and Li-Fi.
  • Applications and case studies: real-world implementations in smart cities, industrial automation, healthcare, and more.
  • Standardization and regulatory aspects.
  • Visible light channel modeling.
  • Visible light communication for 5G and beyond.
  • Machine learning and data analytics techniques for visible light communication networks.

Dr. Pablo Palacios-Játiva
Dr. César Augusto Azurdia Meza
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • visible light communications
  • underwater optical wireless communications
  • visible light channel modeling
  • industrial visible light communications
  • visible light communication applications
  • IA visible light communications
  • experimental VLC networks
  • 6G visible light communications
  • hybrid LiFi and WiFi network
  • optical wireless communications
  • advanced signal processing in VLC
  • transmitter and receiver technologies for VLC

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

13 pages, 6831 KiB  
Article
Demonstration of a Hybrid B5G System Integrating VLC and RF-Based Technologies with Access Networks
by Tomás Powell Villena Andrade, Celso Henrique de Souza Lopes, Letícia Carneiro de Souza and Arismar Cerqueira Sodré Junior
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(2), 955; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15020955 - 19 Jan 2025
Viewed by 805
Abstract
Visible-light communication (VLC) has emerged as a promising technology to provide the very high-throughput wireless communications demanded by beyond-fifth-generation (B5G) applications. However, few works are found in the literature regarding the integration of VLC systems with other wireless communications technologies and with access [...] Read more.
Visible-light communication (VLC) has emerged as a promising technology to provide the very high-throughput wireless communications demanded by beyond-fifth-generation (B5G) applications. However, few works are found in the literature regarding the integration of VLC systems with other wireless communications technologies and with access networks. In this context, and as a proof of concept, we implement and experimentally evaluate a hybrid network architecture based on VLC, radio-over-fiber (RoF), free space optics (FSO), fiber-wireless (FiWi), and millimeter-waves (mm-waves) for B5G applications. Such optical networks make use of fiber-optic links based on RoF technology as backhauls, whereas their fronthauls might be either by FSO or RoF. Finally, a triple-wireless-access network is ensured by VLC, FiWi, and mm-wave links. The latter use a real 5G new radio (5G NR) signal. The system performance is evaluated in terms of a root mean square error vector magnitude (EVMRMS) parameter in accordance with the 3rd-Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) requirements. The experimental results demonstrate a total maximal theoretical throughput of approximately 1.66 Gbps, aligning with the digital performance requirements set by 3GPP. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Visible Light Communications (VLC) Networks)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

22 pages, 997 KiB  
Review
Comprehensive Survey on VLC in E-Healthcare: Channel Coding Schemes and Modulation Techniques
by Javier Guaña-Moya, Milton Román Cañizares, Pablo Palacios Játiva, Iván Sánchez, Dayana Ruminot and Fernando Vergara Lobos
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(19), 8912; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14198912 - 3 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1488
Abstract
The integration of information and communication technologies in the field of healthcare has generated a positive transformation in the traditional way of providing patient care, optimizing medical services, and streamlining healthcare operations. Traditionally, healthcare systems have relied on radio frequency (RF) signals for [...] Read more.
The integration of information and communication technologies in the field of healthcare has generated a positive transformation in the traditional way of providing patient care, optimizing medical services, and streamlining healthcare operations. Traditionally, healthcare systems have relied on radio frequency (RF) signals for data transmission. However, the conventional RF wireless network faces ever-increasing challenges, such as spectrum shortage and a congested frequency spectrum. Moreover, issues such as interference, security vulnerabilities, and potential health risks associated with prolonged exposure to RF electromagnetic radiation complicate its application in healthcare environments. To address these challenges, visible light communication (VLC) systems, which offer dual functionalities, data transmission, and illumination, have emerged as a promising complementary solution to traditional RF-based options. VLC provides secure, high-speed data communication that is immune to RF interference, making it particularly suitable for healthcare settings. This research examines the advancements in e-health systems that utilize VLC technology, considering various modulation and channel coding techniques, with a focus on evaluating the effectiveness and limitations of these techniques to determine their impact on overall performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Visible Light Communications (VLC) Networks)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop