A research group at Keio University has succeeded in developing a next-generation optical fiber that is highly flexible and durable, and does not cause errors even when communicating large amounts of information at high speed, and can be used in large-scale data centers. It is expected.
Optical fiber is a cable for transmitting information such as video and audio, and currently the mainstream is made of glass, but when sending a large amount of data at high speed, communication errors are unavoidable, and communication by that is unavoidable. Delays and increased power consumption are issues.
The research group of Professor Yasuhiro Koike of Keio University has developed a new optical fiber that makes communication errors less likely to occur by using a special plastic as the material and adjusting the direction of refraction and scattering of light.
It is said that errors rarely occur at lengths up to about 100 meters.
Currently, data centers that use optical fibers to communicate large amounts of information require a dedicated device to correct errors, but if this device is no longer needed, power consumption will be significantly reduced. ..
The new optical fiber is easy to bend and resistant to shocks such as shaking, so it is expected to be used in self-driving cars that require high-speed and accurate communication between installed devices.
Professor Koike says, "In autonomous driving and robot operation used in telemedicine, even a slight delay due to a communication error has a fatal effect. It is expected to be used in a wide range of fields."