Connectivity is no longer a luxury—it is the backbone of how we live, work and move through the world. From smart homes to wearable tech, we rely on strong, seamless wireless networks. But with traditional radio frequency systems like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth reaching their limits in spectrum and precision, it is time for a rethink. What if we could use light to communicate indoors—precisely, silently and efficiently?
That is the vision behind our latest research. We have developed a indoor optical wireless communication (OWC) system that uses finely focused infrared beams to deliver lightning-fast, interference-free connections—while drastically reducing energy use. Imagine a network where every device gets its own invisible beam of light, targeted like a spotlight, without the clutter and chaos of traditional wireless signals. Our research is published in the IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society .
A smarter ceiling: Arrays within arrays
At the heart of our innovation lies a clever concept: a “phased array within a phased array.” Picture small clusters of infrared emitters arranged within a larger grid across a ceiling. These clusters work together, adapting in real time to form intelligent, focused beams aimed directly at users as Illustrated in the figure above. Much like quantum systems that hold multiple possibilities at once, our system uses this layered design to enable simultaneous, stable connections for multiple users.
Even more impressively, each cluster can reconfigure itself into sub-clusters, enabling precise control and dynamic targeting of individual devices. This breakthrough allows for secure and consistent data delivery across crowded spaces—without any signal stepping on another.
Only what you need, when you need it
To make our system truly efficient, we designed a smart control method that determines exactly which parts of the ceiling should be active at any given time. Using advanced multi-objective optimization with sparse relaxation, our algorithm activates only the clusters needed to maintain balanced, interference-free connections.
Rather than lighting up the entire ceiling, our system selectively powers the right emitters to serve users effectively and fairly saving energy while boosting performance. This not only makes the system greener but also paves the way for fair and consistent service, even in densely populated environments.
A brighter future for indoor wireless
By combining precise light beams, adaptive hardware, and intelligent control, our system redefines what indoor wireless can be. Whether in offices, hospitals, malls, or smart homes, this approach reduces the digital carbon footprint while delivering best-in-class performance.
We have shown that with the right vision and technology, the future of wireless does not just look bright—it beams with potential.
This story is part of Science X Dialog, where researchers can report findings from their published research articles. Visit this page for information about Science X Dialog and how to participate.
More information:
Sharadhi Gunathilake et al, Advanced Scalable Multi-Beam Focusing for Indoor Optical Wireless Networks With IR Radiative Clusters, IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society (2025). DOI: 10.1109/OJCOMS.2025.3559376
Bios:
Sharadhi Gunathilake earned her B.Sc. in electronic and telecommunication engineering (with first-class honors) from University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka in 2017. Following five years of experience in the telecommunications industry, she is currently a PhD candidate and a member of the Advanced Computing and Simulations Laboratory at the Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering, Monash University, Australia, under the supervision of Prof. Malin Premaratne. Her research interests include optical wireless communication and phased array beamforming algorithm design.
Malin Premaratne received the B.Sc. degree in mathematics, the B.E. degree (Hons.) in electrical and electronics engineering, and the Ph.D. degree from The University of Melbourne in 1995, 1995, and 1998, respectively. From 1998 to 2000, he served with the Photonics Research Laboratory, University of Melbourne, where he co-led the CRC Optical Amplifier Project and collaborated with Telstra, Australia, and Hewlett Packard, USA. From 2001 to 2003, he consulted for prominent companies, including Cisco, Lucent Technologies, Telstra, Ericsson, Siemens, VPI Systems, Telcordia Technologies, Ciena, and Tellium. Since 2004, he has directed the research program in high-performance computing applications to complex systems simulations with the Advanced Computing and Simulation Laboratory, Monash University, Clayton, where he is a Full Professor. He served as the Vice President of the Academic Board with Monash University from 2017 to 2022. Also, he is a distinguished Visiting Scientist with the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Caltech, and a Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne, and Visiting Professor at the Australian National University, the University of California at Los Angeles, the University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA, and Oxford University. With more than 300 journal papers and two book to his credit, he has presented on the modeling and simulation of optical devices at major international meetings, schools, and scientific institutions across the USA, Europe, Asia, and Australia. He has been an Associate Editor of APL Quantum, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE Photonics Journal, and Optica’s journal Advances in Optics and Photonics. Moreover, he is an elected fellow of IEEE (FIEEE), Optica (FOptica), SPIE (FSPIE), the Institute of Physics U.K. (FInstP), the Institution of Engineering and Technology U.K. (FIET), and The Institute of Engineers Australia (FIEAust).
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A ceiling full of beams: How light is replacing Wi-Fi indoors (2025, June 5)
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