"You're right about optical fiber, Mydesign. Copper is being replaced by optical fiber for high-def video, even in such places as surgical suites."
Charles, thanks for the link. Would you think that in future these optical fibre can replaced by some other transfer mechanisms like laser or Ultra sonic waves etc.
"the idea is definitely revolutionary, although it isn't new, as we see from 10 years of research. But copper doesn't complete disappear from the board--not yet, anyway."
Ann, copper cannot be replacing immediately, but i think one day it has to happen.
Pubudu, thanks for the comments. Could you clarify your question? Optical fiber is already being used for general-purpose data transfer at longer distances.
It will be very interesting to see the completely new set of problems that will come up if this idea ever is used. New problems to make sure we engineers never run out of problems to solve.
I remember hearing about a computer that was built completely with fiber optics back in the late 90's. I think it was designed by the R&D department of one of the major tech universities. We were "photofied" as well!
Nancy, I first heard of switching photons instead of electrons about 15 years ago in a venture capitalist meeting about a new tech, I forget which one or from which company. I was electrified--or perhaps I should say, photofied.
For 3D printing to make the jump from rapid prototyping to manufacturing, engineers will need to find easier ways to move products from their CAD screens to their printers.
Gigabit and PoE are two networking technologies moving ahead in tandem as industrial users power remote Ethernet devices such as IP security cameras at 1,000 Mbps over existing CAT5 cable.
New versions of BASF's Ecovio line are both compostable and designed for either injection molding or thermoforming. These combinations are becoming more common for the single-use bioplastics used in food service and food packaging applications, but are still not widely available.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
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