Art and LiFi: Light comes to the Barracco Museum!
The Museum of Ancient Sculpture, “Giovanni Barracco”, is one of the first worldwide to implement LiFi to enhance its exhibition.
We share a mission with the Barracco Museum: to enrich visitors' experience by combining the physical and digital, highlighting the great value of our cultural heritage.
The project, co-funded by the European Union, will bring a new visiting experience thanks to the implementation of several LiFi light sources. Each lamp will generate a LiFi Zone through light modulation, to which will correspond a unique associated code. Thanks to a specific app, art-related content will be directly available on the user's smartphone.
The Museum
The Barracco Museum's exhibition has been located in the beautiful, XVI-century "Farnesina ai Baullari” building since 1948. Baron Barracco’s collection includes 380 pieces from the Egyptian and Sumerian. Greek, Etruscan and Roman arts. In 1902, this collection was donated to the city of Rome.
In 1899, in the museum’s undergrounds, ruins of an ancient Roman Domus were accidentally discovered, dated to the IV century. This is a brief description:
“A partially-preserved columned portico realized with reused materials was discovered (it can be noticed how the three Tuscan capitals were turned upside down and used as foundations). The pavement’s fragments reveal several construction phases: they show an ancient, first layer, made with rectangular, marble slabs. This layer is older than the portico and still shows proof of ancient restoration works. Walls were decorated with frescoes that depicted both terrestrial and marine species. These frescoes were separated from the walls in the 70s and they are currently stored in the Museum. The most reliable theories associate these underground structures with a public building of Campus Martius (the stabula quattuor factionum used by four equestrian factions that competed in Rome). It is believed that in following years this area became private and was turned into a noble mansion."
Source: sito Sovrintendenza capitolina ai beni culturali
To learn more about LiFi, Read Here
If you are interested in bringing LiFi to your school or to your children's school, Contact Us
LiFi and Healthcare
Through the National Plan of Resilience and Recovery (PNRR), the Italian government explained how it will invest European resources provided by the Recovery Fund: among several fields, the healthcare sector was particularly emphasized. A significant part of the resources will be allocated to healthcare to digitalize medical care.
Among several technological innovations in the medical field, LiFi joins the picture along with the transparent photovoltaic glass windows, which are relevant for sustainable purposes.
Applications in the healthcare field can be as beneficial for patients as they are for healthcare workers and visitors. The implementation of specific LiFi Zones can bring several services that aim at improving the check-in and check-out processes, as well as geo-locating and sharing medical records. This would guarantee the privacy and safety of the data transmission.
It is important to keep in mind that many medical devices that are used in the surgical room, both in intensive therapy and in radiology, do not allow radio frequencies, therefore the WiFi. This makes LiFi technology a valid alternative to WiFi in the medical field. Since it emits a signal that does not interfere with the medical equipment, the LiFi technology allows a bidirectional and wireless connection which guarantees fast data transmission, high bandwidth, and density.
How Does it Work?
Every device comes equipped with a modem that modulates light at a rate that is not perceptible by the human eye. This process is detected by a USB Li-Fi key that is connected to a computer or a tablet. This USB Li-Fi key then transmits the data to the lighting device through an infrared connection. In addition, LiFi guarantees higher cybersecurity, because light cannot penetrate solid barriers such as walls. Thus, direct exposure to light is necessary to access the network.
LiFi and PNRR Opportunities
The National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) is the tool adopted by the Italian government to distribute and invest the European Resources from the Recovery Fund, with more than 220 billion euros of total investments. 27% of the total amount will be invested in digitalization, 40% will be invested to fight climate change and more than 10% will support social cohesion.
The plan, divided into six main sections and objectives, includes a series of legal reforms that aim at digitalizing and modernizing Italy, to increasingly attract more and more investments in the long run. This would increase Italy’s GDP and employment rate.
Innovation, Culture, Healthcare, and Sustainability are at the core of the digital and green revolution, where technology plays a central role.
Among several cutting-edge technologies, we have Li-Fi, which characteristics meet the needs of the PNRR, as it offers several benefits in different contexts.
Li-Fi is a wireless technology able to transmit data and information through LED light modulation. It is an innovative wireless transmission method: all the LED light sources become potential data transmitters, and every device is a potential user.
Li-Fi has multiple benefits. The first one is speed: this technology can reach up to 100 Gbps in laboratories. Then, Li-Fi is characterized by large bandwidth, about 10’000 times wider than WiFi. Security is also an important feature: being enclosed in a specific area, light is hard to be intercepted by external hackers. Finally, LiFi can be characterized by extreme accuracy when it comes to geolocation: it can offer advanced geolocation and indoor navigation services, as well as the opportunity to transmit proximity content. Differently from other technologies, LiFi does not emit radio waves, therefore it has no interference issues with other devices. This is an electrosmog-free technology that significantly reduces energy consumption in the telecommunication and light engineering sectors by incentivizing the use of cutting-edge LED lamps and using light as a data transmitter.
Considering these beneficial features, LiFi can be applied in several contexts, among which we find healthcare facilities, schools, museums, and transportation, all of which are very important for the green revolution that the PNRR aims at.
To Be Elected Best Italian Startup by Startup Village 2021
ICE Agency is an important contact point for Italian companies, as it promotes Italian products and services and helps startups grow in international markets, facilitating foreign investments in Italy.
The agency’s support allowed us to take part in the event “Italian Trade Agency Pitch Session at STARTUP Village 2021”, which took place at the Skolkovo Innovation Center. Here, To Be was elected the best Italian startup.
“Receiving the Italian Star title with the highest score from the judging panel is a great success for our startup”.
These were the words of Chief Operating Officer Danilo Fattorini, who highlighted the importance and great timing of this opportunity, which came in a moment of solid growth and internationalization for To Be.
This success guaranteed To Be access to the Skolkovo Softlanding program, which will start in October 2021.
Skolkovo Technopark is the biggest European Innovation Hub supporting Startups in the IT, Energy, Industrial Technology, and Biomed sectors. This platform, thanks to specialized and highly skilled teams, analyzes and looks for startups that have the most potential and that aim at expanding their business in the Russian market, with the purpose of building a network of investors. Within this structure, it is possible to have access to several offices and laboratories, other than to cultural events and conferences with successful scientists and entrepreneurs.
Skolkovo Ventures, the first Russian investment fund, supports these initiatives and provides banking, corporate development, and consulting services, so that foreign companies more easily enter the Russian market.
Digital Threats: LiFi’s Answer to Hacker Attacks
Connect one or more computers to the internet extremely fast without the risk of external hacker attacks.
How important is cybersecurity to the digital transformation process?
According to a study conducted by Cybersecurity Ventures, cybercrime will leave a significant impact within 2025: an amount of about 10 trillion dollars will go to fight cybercrime, an annual increase of 15%. This data is concerning for many companies, that find themselves having to implement several costly security measures to counter the increasing external hacker attacks.
To meet companies’ needs, LiFi S would represent an ideal solution to significantly reduce cybercrime. It is a wireless system that provides a fast, safe, and sustainable connection, that can reach a speed of 1 Gbps without emitting radio waves. Thus, this system is free from electromagnetic pollution, external hacker attacks, and interference problems.
How Does it Work?
The main innovative characteristic of this technology lies in data transmission through light wave modulation, thus offering benefits such as high-speed, large bandwidth, security, and sustainability. A LiFi S installation can transmit and receive data at a very fast rate, without issues of band saturation, signal interception, or electromagnetic pollution because of radio waves.
Taking all these benefits into account, it can be stated that LiFi S is the ideal solution to the corporate world’s needs, where cybersecurity must be elevated and the number of devices having access to the network must be well defined. This technology would offer a connection whose speed and quality are unprecedented. Converting light sources into hotspots that collect and transmit data is, therefore, the best option to guarantee security and privacy in work activities.
Cambellotti Museum Becomes Digital Thanks to To Be!
Cambellotti Museum, known for being a place of culture and shared creativity, invested in To Be’s Li-Fi technology to become more innovative, digital, and inclusive.
“The museum is home to sculptures, drawings, books, ceramics, medals, and even posters and letters documenting the bond between Duilio Cambellotti and our territory. At the core of the collection, we find original drawings and sketches, made in tempera, pencil, and china, narrating the creative journey of the “Redenzione dell’Agro” in 1934, realized by the artist for the Latina Government Palace, which today is the prefecture in Piazza Della Libertà.”
The strong tie between To Be and the city of Latina is at the core of our relationship with the museum, with which we share the willingness of bringing innovation to Latina, in a way that could enrich visitors’ experience. LiFi G solutions allow data transmission and information in a specific area through LED light.
Within the Cambellotti Museum, a total of 14 LiFi Zones were installed, that can be recognized thanks to walkable floor signs. These signs also indicate the code associated with the area. Each area corresponds to specific content. One can simply download the related App, allow access to the camera and position their device under the light source to access a new world of multi-media content.
We thank our partners XAL, for choosing lighting bodies, and TecnoElectric for the installations.
To Be Joins the Challenges of the Next Generation EU
“The digital revolution represents a great opportunity to increase efforts for productivity, innovation, and employment in Italy. It would also help provide wider access to culture and education and bridge the disparity gaps in our territory. “
These were the words of our CEO Francesco Paolo Russo and of our Marketing Manager Annalisa Milani on the occasion of the event “Conference on the future of Europe after the PNRR: Challenges of the Next Generation Eu”
The National Plan for Recovery and Resilience includes a series of reforms to increase cybersecurity, and digitalization and to promote a better-structured system.
LiFi solutions and their applications in schools aim at helping the education system guide students through personal growth, bringing sustainable and safe innovation. Being sustainable, LiFi falls within fifth-generation connections.
Thus, LiFi technology fully fits Galletti Decree’s parameters. As stated by the minister, more steps will be taken to define accurate parameters on electromagnetic field exposure, to ensure citizens’ safety.
With the objective of implementing infrastructure with low electromagnetic emission for scholastic digital services, we implemented our LiFi solutions in several schools thanks to the support of specific funding projects that aim at reducing radio frequency emission in scholastic infrastructure. These solutions increased the bandwidth and the quality of services.
Our team is working to pursue the LiFi Revolution, with the hope of bringing the light of innovation to several Italian schools.
Castel Del Monte Chooses LiFi!
The potential applications of LiFi within museums allow the creation of an innovative communication system, providing visitors with a unique and innovative experience. Through LiFi G installations, To Be offers several proximity services that contribute to the promotion of museum exhibitions and our cultural heritage in general.
Castel Del Monte decided to initiate a digitalization process to enrich its visiting experience by creating ties between the digital and the physical. The initiative falls within the Piazza Wi-Fi Italia agreement protocol, signed by the Minister of Economic Development, the Region of Puglia, Alta Murgia National Park, and Infratel Italia. This agreement protocol aims at building solid networks among municipalities, public institutions, big companies, and private organizations handling public outdoor spaces; and at implementing new free Wi-Fi zones through proximity access point installation in cultural points of interest.
The project of innovating the site of Castel Del Monte, one of the most important Italian museums, saw To Be working on the implementation of several LiFi Zones, that, through a specific app, guarantee access to countless multi-media contents.
LiFi: Security and Sustainability in Schools
Light sources become potential data transmitters. Schools enrich themselves with an inclusive, intuitive, and simple service. Students gain new academic tools.
LiFi is a sustainable technology that is able to eliminate the risks of electromagnetic pollution and drastically reduce the energetic impact of the telecommunication and illumination engineering industries. This technology incentivizes the usage of cutting-edge LED lamps and eliminates the energy consumption related to radio wave emissions.
The objective is to experiment with new high-speed technologies characterized by minimal or nonexistent radio-frequency emissions.
The Li-Fi (Light Fidelity), which consists of the transmission of data through the LED light, offers a faster, more stable connection that does not present issues related to interferences and to bandwidth saturation. Moreover, light can be enclosed in a specific area, so that the risks of potential external hacker attacks are reduced. Differently from other kinds of Wi-Fi technologies, Li-Fi does not emit radio waves, therefore avoiding interference issues with other devices.
Our team is developing and introducing different solutions to the market, among which there is Li-Fi S (Streaming), which is a system for the bidirectional connection of one or more computers to the internet. This system is made up of illuminated bodies equipped with Li-Fi technology and with USB keys that are able to receive and transmit the signal.
Li-Fi S represents a concrete answer to the need of reducing our exposure to high-frequency electromagnetic fields (RF) as much as possible. More in general, this system aims at improving energy efficiency in schools, guaranteeing an unprecedented, fast, secure, and sustainable connection to the students.
Thanks to the dialogue with several educational institutes, our LiFi Zones will offer a Li-Fi connection within the classrooms.
The Li-Fi first projects in schools will most likely be launched in the Marche Region, which is the first administrative body to give municipalities the chance to adopt the latest and most innovative Green technology working on data transmission. But we also welcomed with great enthusiasm the willingness of Rome's Mayor Virginia Raggi to make the Capital a smart and innovative city by bringing the Li-Fi technology to several schools.
We are ready to spread light and innovation!
Ambassadors of Innovation 2020
The award “Ambassadors of Innovation” is given to praiseworthy organizations that, with their daily efforts, demonstrate to be real ambassadors of the Italian innovation system. This prize aligns with corporate social responsibility.
We are honored to have received such an important award from Ambassador Day, an event born in 2019 with the purpose of recognizing all those companies, associations, and professionals that stand out for their work, becoming ambassadors of Made in Italy worldwide.
We are happy to share this award with all of you, which, since To Be's very first steps, have showed us much interest and support.
Get ready because there will be big news in the next few months!