A new technology named Wilo, developed by scientists from China, South Korea, USA, and Great Britain, combines Wi-Fi and Lora communication protocols to enable more efficient and long-range data transfer, especially for the Internet of Things (IoT).
Wi-Fi is commonly used for short-distance data transfer but has limitations in terms of range and energy consumption. On the other hand, Lora protocol is known for its low energy consumption and long-distance data transmission capabilities, making it ideal for IoT applications like agriculture and smart cities.
Wilo technology combines the speed of data transfer from Wi-Fi with the range of Lora, without requiring additional hardware changes. This simplifies the deployment process, reduces costs, and potential points of failure, making IoT networks more efficient and scalable.
The researchers used a special algorithm to synchronize the frequencies of Wi-Fi and Lora signals for the Wilo system to operate successfully. Tests showed that the technology can operate both indoors and outdoors with a transmission range of up to 500 meters and a 96% success rate in data transfer.
Wilo has the advantage of utilizing existing Wi-Fi devices, eliminating the need for costly equipment upgrades. However, it does require additional energy consumption as Wi-Fi devices need to process signals and emulate Lora operations simultaneously.
Future plans for Wilo include enhancing energy efficiency, increasing data transfer speed, and improving interference resistance. Adhering to industrial standards and implementing security mechanisms for data transmission between systems will also be crucial steps for the technology’s development.