Edinburgh tech star PureLiFi lands new multi-million-dollar deal with US Army

PureLiFi, the Edinburgh-based firm behind technology that uses light to transmit data, has secured a fresh multi-million-dollar supply deal with the US Army.

The latest agreement will see the firm supply the army with thousands of additional units of Kitefin, described as a “next generation optical wireless communication system”, which uses LEDs (light-emitting diodes) for secure data transmission instead of radio waves like wi-fi or 4G.

By harnessing the light spectrum, “LiFi” is said to provide more reliable wireless communications with “unparalleled security”, compared to conventional technologies such as cellular, wi-fi and Bluetooth.

The US Army Europe is expanding its use of this cutting-edge technology as LiFi has proven to be reliable for the most critical communications, the company said.

Chief warrant officer Andrew Foreman demonstrated LiFi Kitefin system with Getac LiFi enabled tablet for an audience during the 2nd Theater Signal Brigade’s LiFi exhibition event in August at USAG Wiesbaden. Picture: Candy Knight

Alistair Banham, chief executive of PureLiFi, said: “The Kitefin system is now officially disrupting the ecosystem of wireless defence technologies. Kitefin provides the latest advancements protecting mission critical communications and has the potential to save missions and lives.

“We won’t stop here; the train has now left the station and LiFi is on its way to even broader deployments and new markets. We will put LiFi in the hands of millions of users.”

The firm has been recognised as a rising star in the global technology scene and named as one of the “EE Times Silicon 100 start-ups to watch” two years running. Having now secured multiple million-dollar deals with the US Army Europe, the company has officially made its mark on the wireless communications marketplace.

PureLiFi was founded by the “Father of LiFi” Harald Haas, and Mostafa Afgani, in 2012.

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