I beat them by 34 years. Back in 1992, I bridged an AppleTalk network between two buildings that exceeded the approximately 150 foot limit of AppleTalk networks by building a very similar setup to the one in the article. The network speeds AppleTalk were just 115/230 KBPS it wasn't a crazy timing critical requirement so I just experimented with using light as a link between two network segments. Back then visible laser diodes were very costly so I used 960nm laser diodes like you would find in a CD player. They still cost a fair amount back then but didn't break the bank. A few clever uses of some Op-Amps and comparators and a few lenses and mirrors and I was able to build an optical link that worked. It was a fun project but it got replaced with an ethernet network in less than a year of use.
I beat them by 34 years. Back in 1992, I bridged an AppleTalk network between two buildings that exceeded the approximately 150 foot limit of AppleTalk networks by building a very similar setup to the one in the article. The network speeds AppleTalk were just 115/230 KBPS it wasn't a crazy timing critical requirement so I just experimented with using light as a link between two network segments. Back then visible laser diodes were very costly so I used 960nm laser diodes like you would find in a CD player. They still cost a fair amount back then but didn't break the bank. A few clever uses of some Op-Amps and comparators and a few lenses and mirrors and I was able to build an optical link that worked. It was a fun project but it got replaced with an ethernet network in less than a year of use.
NASA got their laser communication working.
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-deep-space-communications-demo-exceeds-project-expectations/
NASA got their laser communication working.
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-deep-space-communications-demo-exceeds-project-expectations/
WhitePeopleThings.
WhitePeopleThings.
Bell is vindicated.
Bell is vindicated.
You sure it was 940nm? From what I know 940nm is invisible to humans, and I have been able to see every CD player laser I’ve taken apart.
I AI’d it to check:
Disc Type Laser Color Wavelength CD (Compact Disc) Infrared ~780 nm DVD Red ~650 nm Blu-ray Blue-violet ~405 nm
You sure it was 940nm?
From what I know 940nm is invisible to humans, and I have been able to see every CD player laser I’ve taken apart.
I AI’d it to check:
Disc Type Laser Color Wavelength
CD (Compact Disc)
Infrared ~780 nm
DVD Red ~650 nm
Blu-ray Blue-violet ~405 nm
Don't look into beam with remaining eye.
Don't look into beam with remaining eye.