National Institute of Optics – CNR and University of Milano-Bicocca, in collaboration with Glass to Power SpA and the LENS Laboratory, have created the first “hybrid” intelligent window, capable of harvesting solar energy and receiving wireless data through visible light exploiting Visible Light Communication (VLC) technology. The “hybrid” window has a dual function: it is not only used as a photovoltaic element for converting solar into electrical energy but also, for the first time, as an effective receiving system for wireless data encoded as intensity modulation in the light emitted by common LED sources, at frequencies imperceptible to the human eye. The results represent an important step towards the sustainable and green use of optical technologies in smart cities and the implementation of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the revolution promised by sixth-generation communication systems (6G).

The study has been published in Advanced Energy Materials (https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202304006).
F. Meinardi*, F. Bruni, C. Castellan, M. Meucci, A. M. Umair, M. La Rosa, J. Catani*, S. Brovelli*, Certification Grade Quantum Dot Luminescent Solar Concentrator Glazing with Optical Wireless Communication Capability for Connected Sustainable Architecture. Adv. Energy Mater. 2024, 2304006

For more information: Jacopo Catani – jacopo.catani(AT)ino.cnr.it

CNR-INO OWC/VLC lab website here