Let There Be Light

August 22, 2004 11:36 AM

Let there be light - Canadian researchers have devised a new polymer material by manipulating buckyballs (carbon atoms that look like soccer balls). The technology could be used to create optical (light based) switches to replace electronic network switches. It could lead to an Internet based entirely on light.
posted by paladin (4 comments total)

Translating the technology into practical applications, however, could take a very long time.

Almost as long as I've been hearing about optical computing. It's cool to hear they are making progress though.

"Personally, I don't think we've seen anywhere close to what the Internet can offer us,"

Agree with that. Once everything is pure light end to end the latency goes down and the handwidth goes up. It is like the jump from a 28.8 modem to a cable, but more so, it will create a whole new revolution like the dot-com era. But.. we still seem a ways off.
posted by stbalbach at 12:54 PM on August 22, 2004

hey, maybe it'll be ready about the same time as i pick up my desktop quantum computer
posted by NGnerd at 5:15 PM on August 22, 2004

my desktop quantum computer

Thought this said "my desktop quonsar computer".
posted by kenko at 6:20 PM on August 22, 2004

Wow, it's nanotech, fiberoptic and (kinda) quantum, all at once!

Too bad it's not "meta."
posted by abcde at 12:52 AM on August 23, 2004