Welcome to the world of Internet of Toys

MUMBAI, INDIA: Did you know that light bulbs can do more than illuminate our rooms?

Well, researchers at Disney are working on Linux-based LEDs that communicate not only with each other, but also toys and the Internet to create smart environments.

The Disney researchers have created networking technology that makes it possible for LED lights not only to communicate with each other, but to do so in a way that is compatible with the Internet and its technical protocols.

According to Stefan Mangold, Head, Wireless Group, Disney Research Group, the idea that objects can communicate with each other and share information to create smart environments could give Visible Light Communication (VLC) an important role in the growing Internet of Things.

“We’re not just talking about sensors, smart phones and appliances. This easily could include toys that have LEDs, creating an Internet of Toys in which toys can be accessed, monitored and acted on remotely,” Mangold said.

The researchers used off-the-shelf commercial LED light bulbs that they then modified so that they could send and receive visible light signals.

These modifications included a system-on-a-chip running the Linux operating system, a VLC controller module with the protocol software and an additional power supply for the added electronics.

The researchers created software that makes the signals transmitted through this hardware compatible with Internet protocols. They were thus able to create networks with a throughput of up to 1 kilobit per second.

These VLC-enabled bulbs could be used to broadcast beacons making it possible to detect the location of objects linked into a network to route signal traffic or could be used to communicate with objects, Disney said.