A major breakthrough in data transfer via fiber optics occurred for a team of researchers who were able to use a single computer chip to transfer 1.84 petabits of data in one second. This breakthrough could have implications in everything from mobile technology to cloud gaming services, such as Xbox Game Pass. This amounts to roughly twice the amount of data that internet traffic produces, or 230 million photo downloads per second. Services like Xbox Game Pass use data transfer to allow a gamer to play video games on a server via the internet.
Asbjorn Arvad Jorgensen at the Technical University of Denmark in Copenhagen, working alongside researchers from Sweden and Japan, implemented photonic chip technology. This design allows optical components to be built directly into computer chips and divides a stream of data into thousands of separate channels. As video games get more graphically demanding, cloud gaming will require components that can quickly and efficiently transmit mass amounts of data. For example, it was recently announced Xbox Game Pass will be available on the Meta Quest 2. If virtual reality cloud gaming becomes popular in the future, massive amounts of data will be needed for a fluid experience via cloud gaming.
While data transfer rates currently exceed 10.66 petabits per second, the beauty of Jorgensen's discovery is that it allows for extreme transfer speeds using miniaturized components. Current equipment that achieves such transfer speeds is bulky, and the recent discovery could allow high-speed data transfer technology to reach a more mobile market. Jorgensen now hopes to shrink the technology down to the silicone level, making it applicable to a host of technologies. Devices like the upcoming Razer Edge rely on cloud gaming to give gamers access to entire libraries in their pocket and will need the ability to quickly transfer data as games evolve.
Some game developers seem to be pushing for a metaverse, with the idea of a virtual space where gaming, lifestyle, and culture collide taking root. For full-scale, interactive virtual worlds to exist, massive amounts of data will need to be transferred at high speed. Optical chip technology, like those being pioneered by Jorgensen, may offer an intermediary solution while quantum computer technology eventually finds its footing.
Quantum computers are notoriously expensive and difficult to maintain, while Jorgensen's approach maximizes the potential of more traditional computer chip technology. High-speed data transfer could also provide a much-needed breakthrough for budding AI technologies as well. As powerhouses like Microsoft explore the metaverse, and more gamers turn to cloud gaming, high-speed data transfer technology is sure to find a home among future gaming devices.
Source: Digital Trends