1 Second Movie Downloads - IBM's Green Optical Link Technology

Who cares about that whole High-Definition hoopla anymore when you can download a high-def movie into your gadget within a second?!

IBM is developing next-generation communications technology, Green Optical Link, that uses light instead of wires to send information. The technology uses photons of light, rather than electrons, to transmit information at 8 trillion bits per second using power equivalent to that required by a single, 100-watt bulb. Both the speed and the power efficiency are equally impressive when compared to current technology.

For commercialization, IBM is building compatible circuit boards, Optocards, which feature integrated “Optochips” and employ an array of low-loss polymer optical waveguides to conduct light between transmitters and receivers. The applications of such a system range from High-definition content everywhere to massive bandwidth for Supercomputing.