Keynote Speaker
Zabih Ghassemlooy (Fary)
Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK
Visible Light Communications - The Emerging Green Technology for Illumination and Data Communications
We are witnessing a growing research interest at a global level in visible light communications. Solid state light emitting diodes (LEDs) and organic LEDs (OLED) as well as organic photodiodes are seen as the next generation of general illumination sources, set to replace existing fluorescent and incandescent lamps offering much higher efficiency, longer life span and much lower power consumption.
Commercial companies are already offering the first generation LED replacement lamps with standard fixings available in high-street stores. In addition to lighting applications, the visible light spectrum can be used for indoor as well as outdoor wireless data communications, i.e. visible light communications. Visible light LEDs and OLEDs can be switched at sub-micro-seconds rate, which is too fast for the human eye to react but not for a special sensor on our portable digital devices. Thus, opening the way for dual use of visible light sources for illumination and data communications in homes, offices, cars, airplane, trains, etc.
This talk will give an overview of this emerging technology highlighting technical challenges and solutions for the LED and OLED lighting and data communications techniques.
Professor Zabih Ghassemlooy, CEng, Fellow of IET, Senior Member of IEEE: Received his BSc (Hons) degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the Manchester Metropolitan University in 1981, and his MSc and PhD in Optical Communications from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), in 1984 and 1987, respectively with Scholarships from the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council, UK.
From 1986-87 he worked as a Demonstrator at UMIST and from 1987 to 1988 he was a Post-doctoral Research Fellow at the City University, London. In 1988 he joined Sheffield Hallam University as a Lecturer, becoming a Reader in 1995 and a Professor in Optical Communications in 1997. He was the Group Leader for Communication Engineering and Digital Signal Processing, and also head of Optical Communications Research Group until 2004.
In 2004 he moved to the University of Northumbria at Newcastle as an Associate Dean for Research in the School of Computing, Engineering and Information Sciences until 2012. In 2012 he became Associate Dean for Research and Innovation in the Faculty of Engineering and Environment, at Northumbria University. He also heads the Northumbria Communications Research Laboratories within the Faculty. In 2001 he was a recipient of the Tan Chin Tuan Fellowship in Engineering from the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore to work on the photonic technology. He is a visiting Professor at University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Malaysia (2013-15), and vice-chair of the FP7 EU Cost Action IC1101.
He is the Editor-in-Chief of British Journal of Applied Science & Technology (since 2013); International Journal of Optics and Applications - Scientific & Academic Publishing Co (since 2013), and The Mediterranean Journal of Electronics and Communications (since 2005). He currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Boards and Committees of IEEE Communications Letters, International Journal of Communication Systems, Journal of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and many more. He is the founder and the Chairman of the IEEE, IET International Symposium on Communication Systems, Network and Digital Signal Processing. He was the Chairman of 16th NOC2011, and the session chair of a number special sessions as well as a member of technical committee of a number of international conferences. He is a College Member of the Engineering, and Physical Science Research Council, UK (2003-2009) and (2009-), and has served on a number of international Research and Advisory Committees including a Panel Member of the Romanian Research Assessment Exercise 2011. His researches interests are on photonics switching, optical wireless and wired communications, visible light communications and mobile communications. He has received a number of research grants from UK Research Councils, European Union, Industry and UK Government. He has supervised a large number of PhD students (more than 41) and has published over 456 papers (162 in journals + 11 book chapters) and has presented several keynote and invited talks at international conferences. He is a co-author of a CRC book on "Optical Wireless Communications – Systems and Channel Modelling with Matlab (2012); a co-editor of an IET book on "Analogue Optical Fibre Communications" (1995); a book on Optical Communication Systems (published by the Sheffield Hallam University, 1994); is the co-guest editor of a number of special issues of international journals. From 2004-06 he was the IEEE UK/IR Communications Chapter Secretary, the Vice-Chairman (2004-2008), the Chairman (2008-2011), and Chairman of the IET Northumbria Network (Oct 2011-).