Intel,
one of the supporters of the original Thunderbolt standard used by Apple, is
predicting that Optical will be the future of computing.
They've
even gone as far as investing in silicon photonics modules as reported in the
article “Intel
abandons copper cables for lights and lasers to speed up data transfers”,
published Aug 17, 2016 by Agam Shah, PC World.
These silicon photonics modules are basically processors inside of chipsets arrays that use light to communicate with the outside world as well as internally within Servers. Intel has also developed a connector standard called MXC to interconnect servers running on silicon photonics modules along with a protocol called OPCI (Optical PCI) for PCIExpress communications over optical cables.
Fiber
Optics are already been used successfully for long-haul communications and uses
less cabling and is faster and operate at cooler temperatures. The idea is that
fiber optics, by virtue of being much faster, can facilitate the development of
distributed computing.
The
following components that are usually soldered unto a single motherboard would
instead be separate modules:
1.
CPU
2.
Storage
3.
Memory
Thus
the Server and potentially the PC of the future will no longer be an integrated
Circuit board or motherboard with copper traces. Instead, future motherboards
will possibly be made of diamonds as
noted in the article “Why Diamonds, Not Silicon, May Power Your Next Phone”,
published July 11, 2016 By Kyle Wiggers, Digitaltrends.
This
would make it possible to have cooler running circuit board, as diamond has
excellent heat dissipating characteristics. These diamond motherboards with
built in Fiber Optic connectors and module slots would make it possible to
interconnect optical versions of the CPU, Storage and Memory to make PC,
Laptops, Tablet and smartphones!
Intel and silicon
photonics modules - Preserving Moore's Law by going Optical
You
could basically mix and match silicon photonics modules in PC, Laptops, Tablet
and smartphones on these diamond motherboards.
The
result is faster devices that run at a cooler temperature, thereby preserving
Moore's Law in the process as predicted in my blog article
entitled “How
Moore's Law can continue thanks to Graphene, Silicene, Diamonds and 3D
Architecture”.
The
result is cooler running modular computers that are smaller and consume less
power, a huge benefit to server installation for inmemory database and ERP
(enterprise resource planning) applications.
Intel,
however, is predicting that Fiber optics technology will go mainstream in terms
of computer architecture, replacing traditional copper wiring both within PC’s,
Laptops, Tablets and smartphones.
With
the coming of Li-Fi as explained in my blog article
entitled “Why
@UCBerkeley and @MIT Optical Processor means Li-Fi and 5G Wireless by 2020”,
communications network will also be going optical, making it necessary for
electronics to go optical in order to match with theses faster Telecoms
Networks.
Intel's
vision of the future will preserve Moore's Law, as photonic processors can be
made to go faster and faster at cooler temperatures.
Silicon photonics
modules and quantum Telecommunications - FTTH lays the groundwork for Optical Architecture
This
transition to silicon photonics modules would also aid the transition to
Quantum computing and quantum Telecommunications which the Chinese are
experimenting with using the satellite Micius as detailed in my blog article
entitled “China
Micius QUESS satellite heralds Quantum Communications, encrypted Fiber
Waveguides and Li-Fi”, being as most quantum computers use optics
frequencies.
The
groundwork is already being laid to make this all possible.
Fiber
Optic is now being used in the home in the form of FTTH (Fiber to the Home)
Networks such as Digicel Play in Jamaica and the Caribbean, now 35,000
subscribers strong as detailed in my Geezam blog
article entitled “Digicel
Play has 35,000 customers as FLOW Jamaica Horizon fails to impress”.
Intel
has been researching this technology for the past 16 years and has been held back
by delays as well as the expense of the technology. But with the developement
of hollow waveguides as reported in the article “Researchers
create hollow fiber optic cable, almost reach the speed of light”,
26 March 2013 by Myriam Joire, Engadget,
this will not only make Fiber optics cable lighter and cheaper but also make it
possible to make them out of plastic.
Thumb
drives and external storage devices would have to be designed to work without
using electricity. Instead, they’d draw their power from the transmitted light
or even ultrasound as described in my blog article
entitled “Why
Meredith Perry's Ubeam's Wireless Charging Future is a Good Vibration” in
much the same way a USB Cable power the devices connect to the USB port.
Optical
communications is the future of Telecoms, both in terms of Transmission Systems
for 5G Networks as explained in my blog
article entitled“Why
@UCBerkeley and @MIT Optical Processor means Li-Fi and 5G Wireless by 2020”
as well as the internal architecture of PC’s, Laptops, Tablets and smartphones.
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