If you’d have told someone even as recently as 20 years ago that the Internet would one day become an inescapable part of our daily lives, they probably would have laughed at you. Yet that’s exactly where we are, as advancements in modern technology have turned the Web into a solution that both our personal and professional lives depend on.
But one area where a lot of countries around the world are currently lagging has to do with the speed of those connections. But, that may be about to change for the better, as one group of Aussies has recently invented a breakthrough new device that could turbocharge our Internet speeds above and beyond even our wildest dreams.
What Is This Breakthrough, Exactly?
The future of the Internet may very well rest with a group of forward-thinking Aussies at the Australian National University. The yet-to-be-named breakthrough device uses a newly developed type of nonlinear photonic crystal that, when leveraged properly, offer unique ways to control many aspects of electromagnetic radiation.
The nonlinear photonic crystal itself is incredibly small – as thin as a single strand of human hair. These crystals are basically an analogue of semiconductors for light waves. When ultrashort laser pulses are applied in a very particular way, the internal structure of the crystal itself is changed.
To put it another way, researchers have figured out a unique new way to change the colour of light. If you can do that, you can also change the frequency of light – which has a number of major implications regarding optical technology in general.
How Does It Work?
The major internet-related benefits of this new tech has to do with high-speed fibre optic Internet, which already uses beams of light to carry information back and forth across the cable.
Researchers discovered that they can produce different types of light – and in different colours – simply by changing the angle that the laser is shined into the device.
Essentially, the device could potentially be used in the future to convert light much more efficiently for fibre optic and other telecommunications-related applications. You would then have greater freedom in terms of how information travels back and forth across the cable, potentially boosting speeds and increasing the total volume of information that can be carried as well.
At that point, you’d have something of a perfect storm on your hands. Not only would standard fibre optic Internet connections be able to upload and download more data, but that data would also move faster at the exact same time. This truly does represent a breakthrough in terms of Internet connectivity both in Australia and around the world, especially since once a commercial partner is found the device can be easily replicated using less expensive materials.
What Does It Mean For the Future of the Internet?
Sadly, this breakthrough doesn’t necessarily mean that our Internet speeds are about to change anytime soon. The leader of the project, Dr. Sheng, indicated that research remains in the “very early stages.”
For the next phase of the project, Dr. Sheng and his team will attempt to produce a device that is as long as possible. If they’re able to do that, the possibilities for integrating the device into existing fibre optic networks takes one step closer to a reality – which will certainly be a day worth celebrating.
The Future of the Internet Begins Today
At LiveTribe, we believe in the power of the Internet – that’s why we work hard to help make sure that everyone’s voice is as equal and as far-reaching as it can possibly be. The Internet is already a critical part of our daily lives and if Dr. Sheng and his team are able to mass produce the effects of this device on a larger scale, there’s potentially no limit to what we can accomplish as a society.
