A Brief History of Fiber Optic Technology

A Brief History of Fiber Optic Technology

Technology has a long history of development and ingenuity, and fiber optic technology is one of the most interesting subjects in the field. Understanding its background will give you a working knowledge of how to use it. Read on to learn more about the history of fiber optic technology and how it developed into the reliable technology of today.

What Are Fiber Optics?

Fiber optics are a type of technology that uses light to transfer data. A beam of light passes through tiny strands of glass tubing and bounces off the interior walls. The light beam carries data by twisting its photons in a spiral pattern that the end of the fibers will receive and decode.

The fibers used in fiber optics are no larger in diameter than human hair, allowing a fiber optic cable to have 144 or more optical fibers. This technology is great for long-distance transmission and faster data transfer, given its use of light.

Origins

The use of fiber optic technology began in the early 1900s after experiments over the past few decades. Various scientists from Vietnam, Germany, and America performed experiments with promising results that involved bouncing light inside glass tubes to produce a video signal.

Distorted light waves to transfer signals would later lay the groundwork for other scientists to produce stronger signals using more optical fibers. For example, Harold Hopkins and Narinder Singh transmitted an image with 10,000 fibers.

Development and Use Throughout Decades

From its origins and use of more fibers, fiber optic technology continued to grow throughout later decades. The US led the development of fiber optic technology through the last few decades of the 1900s, which led to numerous phone companies using it for a better communication system. Many phone companies still use fiber optics instead of the older copper wire infrastructure for high-speed transmissions and faster connection for phone and data centers.   

Its Use in the Present

Thanks to its development and use over time, many people rely on fiber optic technology. Many companies that handle data or data technology use fiber optic cables for faster transmissions. Digital formats and the data we create continue to expand, and people need faster connection methods, such as fiber optic technology.

Companies such as CableWholesale specialize in parts for fiber optic technology, such as fiber optic cable connectors. Without this technology, we would have difficulty connecting to the Internet or receiving information within a reasonable time over a long distance. And as we continue to enhance this technology, we will find more ways to connect with the world in a faster format.

The history of fiber optic technology helps us understand all the effort science has made to develop tools for the high-speed transmissions we use in the present. If you want to use this cable technology, consider CableWholesale for some of the best fiber optic cables.

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