ELIOT · Project

Turn Your Existing LED Lights Into a Wireless Data Network for IoT

digitalPilotedTRL 6

eliot-h2020.eu

Imagine every LED light in your factory or office could also work as a Wi-Fi hotspot — sending data through light instead of radio waves. That's what ELIOT built. The team took regular LED lighting fixtures and turned them into wireless access points that can track objects, send secure data, and connect IoT devices — all using the light spectrum that nobody needs a license for. They tested this in 5 real locations with companies like BMW, Deutsche Telekom, and KPN.

By the numbers

Real-environment demonstrators built and presented to the public

EUR 5,991,026

EU contribution for development and demonstration

Partners in the consortium covering the full value chain

Countries represented (DE, ES, NL, UK)

TRL 6+

Technology readiness level achieved for lighting infrastructure demos

TRL 4+

Technology readiness level achieved for mobile IoT devices

73%

Industry partner ratio in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Factories, offices, and retail spaces need reliable wireless connectivity for IoT devices, but radio spectrum is crowded, expensive, and often unreliable in dense indoor environments. Meanwhile, every building already has LED lighting infrastructure sitting idle as a potential communication channel. Companies need a way to turn existing lights into data networks without expensive radio spectrum licenses or new infrastructure.

The solution

What was built

The consortium built 5 public demonstrators at real partner sites (Weidmüller, SIG, Deutsche Telekom, LightBee, KPN) showing LED lights working as wireless data access points with positioning, multicast, and security features. They also produced an open reference architecture for IoT-enabled lighting and contributed to international standards in IEC, IETF, IEEE, and ITU-T.

Audience

Who needs this

Factory operators struggling with wireless dead zones on the shop floorTelecom operators looking for new indoor connectivity productsRetail chains needing accurate indoor positioning for customers and inventorySmart building managers wanting secure, interference-free IoT connectivityLogistics and warehouse companies needing precise indoor tracking

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Industrial Manufacturing

enterprise

Target: Factory operators and industrial automation companies

If you are a factory operator dealing with unreliable wireless connectivity on the shop floor — this project developed a lighting-based communication system demonstrated at Weidmüller and ThyssenKrupp that sends data through LED lights. It provides positioning, multicast communications, and enhanced security without competing for crowded radio spectrum. The system was demonstrated at TRL 6 or above in real industrial environments.

Telecommunications

enterprise

Target: Telecom operators and network infrastructure providers

If you are a telecom operator looking for new ways to deliver indoor connectivity — this project built and demonstrated visible light communication infrastructure at Deutsche Telekom and KPN facilities. The open reference architecture integrates with existing lighting to create wireless access points from LED luminaires, with contributions to IEC, IETF, IEEE, and ITU-T standards already underway.

Smart Buildings & Retail

mid-size

Target: Building managers and retail chain operators

If you are a building manager struggling with indoor positioning and secure wireless access — this project created a system where every LED light becomes a data access point with built-in positioning and security features. The technology was tested across 5 real-world demonstrator sites with 11 partners covering the full value chain from chip to luminaire to network.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement this in our facility?

The project used EUR 5,991,026 in EU funding across 11 partners over 3.5 years to develop and demonstrate the technology. Deployment costs would depend on your existing LED infrastructure and the scale of IoT services needed. Contact the consortium for pricing on pilot installations.

Can this scale to a large factory or building complex?

The technology was demonstrated at TRL 6 or above for lighting infrastructure and TRL 4 or above for mobile IoT devices. Five separate real-environment demonstrators were built at partner sites including industrial (Weidmüller), telecom (Deutsche Telekom, KPN), and manufacturing environments. This suggests readiness for large-scale pilot deployments.

Who owns the IP and how can we license this?

The consortium includes major industry players like OSRAM, Philips Lighting, Tridonic, Maxlinear, and NOKIA, coordinated by Fraunhofer. IP arrangements would need to be discussed with the consortium. The project explicitly aimed to create an open reference architecture and contribute to international standards.

Does this comply with telecom and lighting regulations?

The project contributed to standardization in IEC, IETF, IEEE, and ITU-T — the four major international bodies for lighting and telecom infrastructure. Visible light communication uses unlicensed light spectrum, which avoids the regulatory burden of radio frequency allocations.

How long would it take to deploy?

The project ran from January 2019 to June 2022 and achieved TRL 6 or above for infrastructure demonstrations. With 5 working demonstrators already built, a pilot deployment at a new site could build on these proven setups. Timeline depends on integration with your existing lighting and network infrastructure.

Does this work with our existing LED lighting?

The consortium includes Europe's three major luminaire and component manufacturers — OSRAM, Philips Lighting, and Tridonic — plus chipmaker Maxlinear. The open architecture approach was designed for integration with existing lighting infrastructure, though specific compatibility would need to be verified with the consortium.

Is there ongoing support and development?

The project closed in June 2022, but the consortium includes established companies like NOKIA, Deutsche Telekom, and Fraunhofer that continue operating in this space. Standards contributions to IEC, IETF, IEEE, and ITU-T provide a lasting foundation. Based on available project data, a roadmap for IoT development beyond 2022 was also produced.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a heavyweight industrial consortium with 73% industry participation — 8 out of 11 partners are from industry. The lineup reads like a who's who of European lighting and telecom: OSRAM, Philips Lighting, and Tridonic dominate the luminaire market; Maxlinear provides the chips; NOKIA handles network integration; BMW, Weidmüller, and ThyssenKrupp bring industrial IoT demand; and Deutsche Telekom and KPN are major telecom operators. Fraunhofer HHI coordinates, with universities from Eindhoven and Oxford providing research support. Spanning 4 countries (DE, ES, NL, UK), this consortium covers the entire value chain from chip manufacturing to end-user deployment, which significantly reduces commercialization risk.

NOKIA SOLUTIONS AND NETWORKS GMBH &CO KGparticipant · DE
WEIDMULLER INTERFACE GMBH & CO KGparticipant · DE
LIGHTBEE SLparticipant · ES
KONINKLIJKE KPN NVparticipant · NL
THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORDparticipant · UK
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT EINDHOVENparticipant · NL
DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AGparticipant · DE
SIGNIFY NETHERLANDS BVparticipant · NL
BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTparticipant · DE

How to reach the team

Fraunhofer HHI (Berlin, Germany) — the leading research institute for optical communications in Europe

Order a report on this consortium

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the ELIOT consortium to explore visible light communication for your facility? SciTransfer can connect you with the right partner for your use case.

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