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News Researchers unveil high-speed optical wireless

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by Gareth Halfacree, 16 Feb 2015.

  1. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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  2. Corky42

    Corky42 Where's walle?

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    My science is probably letting me down but could you get better speeds by using ultraviolet, being a shorter wavelength than IR, or would we all go blind and have a lovely tan ?
     
  3. Dr. Awesome

    Dr. Awesome I go to 11

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    Shorter wavelength would also increase energy. I'm a bit rusty myself but if you took wavelengths from either side of the visible spectrum (just into IR and just into UV), the UV has about twice the energy per photon.
     
  4. ashchap

    ashchap Minimodder

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    "Infra-red" covers wavelengths from 1mm to 750nm wavelength. This equates to frequencies up to about 430THz, so in theory you could transmit information at up to 430Tbps (more if you include different polarisations) , i.e. no need to go to ultra-violet just yet!

    The main limitation is the rate at which you can modulate the light source, and the bandwidth of the receiver, rather than the frequency of the light itself.
     
    Last edited: 16 Feb 2015
  5. play_boy_2000

    play_boy_2000 ^It was funny when I was 12

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    While there are applications for this, they are few and far between, so I don't see the technology being mass produced enough to bring the cost down to a reasonable level.

    We definitely need to figure out the whole subspace thing star trek promised...
     
  6. Corky42

    Corky42 Where's walle?

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    Although if the figures that ashchap gave are correct and i have no reason to doubt they're not, the technology could be used inside a computer.
     
    Last edited: 16 Feb 2015
  7. loftie

    loftie Multimodder

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    I'm confused how this is even this new tbh, I have a wireless headset which uses infrared and it must be around 20 years old.

    Online manual says copyright 1996.
     
  8. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    And it transfers data at 224Gb/s, does it? (Hint: no, no it does not.) :p
     
  9. edzieba

    edzieba Virtual Realist

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    Even at very short ranges, it would be useful for mobile devices. Replace a USB port with electrical contacts with an optical interconnect (1-2mm range, magnetically coupled to prevent it shifting around). This would greatly aid in mechanical reliability for very small port sizes, and make it easier to seal a phone for water/dustproofing.
     

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