Forget fiber optics—scientists have used OLED display tech to achieve 4Gbps internet speeds, potentially revolutionizing light-based data transmission.
Scientists from the University of St Andrews and Cambridge University have achieved record-breaking internet speeds using OLED display technology, reaching 4 gigabits per second over short distances. The team used custom organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs)—similar to those in smartphones and TVs—to beam data using visible light instead of traditional radio waves.
“Using DC-OFDM communication protocols, they encoded data into rapid light pulses,” the researchers explained. The system maintained nearly 3 Gbps at 33 feet, well above typical household speeds. Key to this success was the use of dinaphthylperylene (DNP), a stable organic material that allows OLEDs to operate under high electrical stress without degrading.
The technology’s reliance on line-of-sight and sensitivity to ambient light presents challenges, but its security benefits and potential for integration into everyday objects make it promising.
Visible light communication (VLC) using OLEDs may soon offer faster, safer alternatives to WiFi—turning screens from displays into data transmitters.