Friday, February 29, 2008

Nokia's new release!!

The new 'Morph' concept phone:

A flexible, bendable mobile phone built using nano technology. While the thin, lime-colored device is only a demo developed in collaboration with the University of Cambridge, Nokia says some of its components may make their way into high-end Nokia handsets within seven years.

Developed by the Nokia Research Center (NRC), the Morph demonstrates how future mobile devices might be stretchable and flexible, allowing users to transform their phone into radically different shapes. It also demonstrates the functionality nanotechnology might be capable of delivering, including the use of flexible materials, transparent electronics and self-cleaning surfaces. The device is flexible enough to bend around a wrist and be used as a bracelet.

"We hope that this combination of art and science will showcase the potential of nanoscience to a wider audience," Dr. Tapani Ryhanen, head of the NRC Cambridge UK laboratory, said in a statement. "The research we are carrying out is fundamental to this as we seek a safe and controlled way to develop and use new materials."

Nokia admits after five years of work there are still technological issues to resolve, such as battery power, before a marketable phone is a reality. "Nokia Research Center is looking at ways to reinvent the form and function of mobile devices," Nokia CTO Bob Iannucci said in a statement. "The Morph concept shows what might be possible."

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

How a Hard disc works!!

This video illustrates how a hard disk of a computer works. Let us be aware of the basics!!

Monday, February 25, 2008

Tv channels in your hand!!

Packet Video for mobiles!

A decade ago being able to watch your favorite TV shows on your mobile handset looked like a distant fantasy. Not anymore thanks to innovations in mobile technology. And in case you’re wondering if you really have to dig into your life’s savings to buy a high-end handset to avail such services, then you can really breath relief right about now since PacketVideo (PV) has launched a pocket-sized mobile broadcast receiver that joins forces with WiFi-enabled phones and personal media players to deliver top quality mobile TV experience. What the device does is that it receives the digital TV signal, repurposes it to match your phone/player via a wireless signal using specific, patented protocols to provide secure access to premium channels. That effectively means you get to watch your fav soaps on the go without switching to a higher handset.

For now the receiver will be compatible with major mobile broadcast standards, including TDtv, DVB-H and MediaFLO as well as for WiMAX and can be customized for a specific service provider too if need arises. Running on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, the mobile broadcast receiver features a glowing LED on/off switch along with a color-changing halo that indicates battery charge level.



The 6.4cm W x 1.8cm H x 4cm D receiver is compatible with Nokia N-series, Apple iPhone and HTC Smartphone handsets and is expected to hit markets later this year.

Beware of Sim spy!!

Never leave your sim card alone

It is the Sim Card data extractor and it will take all the data out of the Sim that you have in your hand and instantly transfer it to a PC. So what is so great about this little gadget? For starters if you are trying to get in to someone else’s phone just for the sake of information, then you no longer need to try unlocking it.

Revolutionary phone!!

Now use more than 5 designs of moblies in a week!

Israeli manufacturer Modu claims their eponymous phone the smallest in the world. It certainly looks like the smallest with barely room for a regular numeric keypad. Instead, users have a set tic-tac-toe buttons. The screen is tiny as well, so I guess we can forget about watching videos on this 42-gram cell phone.

The “revolutionary” idea doesn’t stop in its small size. Modu Mobile comes with “jackets” that add functionality to the phone, i.e. a regular keypad. Dav Moran, the maker of Modu, is the same man who brought us the USB flash drive and his phone has very similar characteristics with the USB.

Besides the jackets, the phone seems to fit into just about everything: car radio, PDA, laptop as an express card. Modular phones are not new but Modu brings the form factor and fashionableness into the concept. Hopefully, before its October shipping, Modu can show us more of what the phone can do.


Still surprised? Watch the video:




Friday, February 22, 2008

Seagate's revolution!!

Seagate's 1 Terabyte Hard drive!

Finally Seagate has released a 1 Terabyte Hard drive following the Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000 which was released over six months ago. Seagate has been the first alternative of the 1 Terabyte Hard drive since Hitachi release their 7K1000. After six months of wait we all will surely be expecting some difference between the Hitachi and Seagate. The main difference between the Seagate and Hitachi is that the Seagate has an advantage over the performance wise. In features wise, Seagate has no advantage over the Hitachi. But concerning the performance wise, using the SATA-II interface makes the maximum transfer rate of 3GBps.

The Seagate ST31000340AS is priced at £180 but the 750GB is just £115 and the 500GB is £50. So if you don’t really need them in 1GB then it is cheaper to get a 750GB because the 1TB has just been released. But if you want a 1GB then the Seagate ST31000340AS is the best option in the market.

Trusted Review has given Seagate the following results:
- Features 6/10
- Performance 9/10
- Value 9/10

Vibrates your hand!!

Bluetooth Wristband

The BluAlert Vibrating Bluetooth Wristband pretty much sums up what it does - when paired to your cell phone, it will vibrate automatically whenever there is an incoming call or text message, making sure that you won’t miss a single phone call. This works great if you’re one who tends to wear baggy pants, making it hard to know whenever someone is calling you - even more so when you’re right smack in the middle of a noisy, bustling crowd. I would have liked to see other functionalities built into the BluAlert Vibrating Bluetooth Wristband though, such as a watch so that you don’t look so daft wearing just a wristband where other people might perceive it to be some sort of fashion accessory. It retails for approximately $63.


Thursday, February 21, 2008

A coffee cup hard drive!!

Tempo Trash!

Cagnina Design has recently developed a unique external hard drive for Intech called Tempo. As files are deleted, they are automatically copied to the mini-trash can-shaped device, providing an extra safety net should the user accidentally delete important files. As the 250 GB of space is used up, embedded LEDs light Tempo's exterior surface from the bottom up, as if it were physically being filled.

Designed to mimic the look of a trash can, TEMPO is a unique hard drive storage device. Intended to protect the user from accidentally deleting files, it can also be used as an external storage device. As you delete files, they are automatically copied to the TEMPO. As it fills up, led's light the "can" from the bottom up, informing you of how much space is available.




Tempo is just a concept. It hasn't been technologically designed.

Friday, February 15, 2008

Smoke Digitally!!

Smoke without any side effects! But costly!

Products have recently been released allowing smokers to indulge their addiction and get a nicotine hit, without the harmful chemicals, toxins and cancer-causing poisons released by burning tobacco. These products are a type of “electronic” or “digital” smoking, in part designed to allow smokers to light up in places that have now banned smoking in effort to protect non-smoking patrons and employees.

One such product is the Crown7, an Art Deco styled tube with a cartridge and rechargeable battery. The cartridge contains water, propylene glycol, nicotine, and a tobacco flavor. One cartridge is equivalent to about two packs of cigarettes and each cartridge costs US$2 making it a much more affordable option than one-off use cigarettes although the initial investment in the reusable tube is significant, ranging from US$64.95 to $$149.95. The Crown7 comes in three styles to cater for all kinds of smokers: cigarette, cigar and pipe. Benefits of the Crown7 are that it contains nicotine but does not pollute the environment, emits only a harmless vapor, leaves no residual clothing or room odor and causes no harm to people in the surrounding area.

The second offering is the Vapir from AIR-2, an air vaporizer that transforms the active elements of virtually any plant substance into an inhaleable mist without actually burning the substance. “When a plant is burned its chemical make-up may change. When catalyzed by flame, many plants transform and create new compounds which were not inherent in the plant itself,” explains AIR-2 CEO Shaahin Cheyene.

A patented microchip regulates plant-specific temperatures for vaporization, also known as volitization, to avoid overheating or burning. The idea is to induce the plant to release its active elements without burning it. With tobacco users get the nicotine which they need to feed their addiction, but without the harmful smoke.

The concept even has the support of Harvard Medical School Associate Professor Lester Grinspoon who believes that the “applications are vast. This is the future of smoking. It may well be the future of all drug delivery.” Medicinal vaporization has the potential to eliminate hypodermic needles and oral medications which can be degenerated by digestive enzymes.

Feeling lonely? No girlfriend?

Get yourself a Virtual Girlfriend!

Hong Kong based company Artificial Life have developed an interactive virtual girlfriend that appears as an animated girl for new mobile phones with video capability. According to a company spokesperson, users of the latest 3-G mobile phones who subscribe to the service will be able to send messages to the virtual girlfriend, who will respond by voice. Each girlfriend will follow an evolving daily and weekly schedule which includes visiting her virtual home, work or bar, and shopping with her virtual girlfriends.

Although all the virtual girls look pretty similar, they behave in a different way depending on how well the user treats her.

Buying her flowers and diamonds will get her attention and advance the relationship to higher levels. In return, she will unlock new levels and aspects of her life, such as introducing her female friends - who also happen to be electronic images.

However, it's not as easy as it sounds, because the virtual girlfriend will get angry and ignore the user if she does not get what she wants. And since the users will be charged real money to pay for all those virtual flowers, in addition to the subscription charge, she might turn out to be not just virtual high maintenance, but real high maintenance! Although for now, it has not been determined how much the gifts will cost.

Classified as a game by its makers, it does not contain any elements of a sexual nature, and is "suitable for all ages", the spokesperson said.

Artificial Life hope to launch the new game later this year, with a "virtual boyfriend" equivalent scheduled for early next year.

The Virtual Girlfriend is based on intelligent animated 3-D characters (avatars) that live in a virtual mobile world. The virtual girls can be contacted and seen using a 3G phone at any time. However, the characters will be involved in different activities during the day, for example, the girlfriend may be in her virtual home or at her virtual workplace or in a virtual bar or restaurant or just shopping with another virtual friend in a virtual shopping mall.

The user can watch the characters during these activities and interact with them via the mobile phone. The characters and the game follow a certain daily and weekly schedule which will continuously change and progress over time.

Users can interact with the game characters on their mobile phones by sending SMS and MMS messages or chat with them in real time through a J2ME client. Several interactive game icons are available as well. Users even have the option to interact with the Virtual Girlfriend by sending her virtual gifts which can elevate the user to different, more sophisticated game levels.

Inkless magic!

The pen that never runs out!

While most pen designs are getting more complex, this inkless metal pen takes inspiration from the past for its simple design and functionality. Though not likely to usurp the ballpoint, the novel pen made from stainless steel contains no ink yet is able to write on any most types of paper without ever needing a refill.

The metal pen takes its inspiration from medieval times when artists and scribes often used a metal stylus in order to draw on a specially prepared paper surface. The material the pen was made from was a sign of the status of the scribe’s employer. Gold and silver were used by the upper classes and lead by the less wealthy. This type of pen was commonly known as Metalpoint, or Silverpoint when the stylus was made of silver. Artists such as Leonardo da Vinci used them.

This solid metal 'nib' of this particular metal pen is made from metal alloy rather than silver. It leaves a mark on most types of paper and works best on standard copier/printer paper. The mark it leaves looks like that of a pencil however it cannot be erased.

I wouldn’t use it to try and write the great American novel, but it’s definitely a handy implement to have around and not worry about whether your pen has run out of ink. It could also be a help to "lefties" to help them avoid ink smudge. The metal pen is available from Grand Illusions for US$29.98, a long-term investment since there is no need to replace the ink or buy a new pen for at least 25 years.

Here comes Electronic Paper Book!

Philips and Sony present first ePaper book



Philips, Sony and E Ink have won the race to market for electronic paper and announced the world’s first consumer application of an electronic paper display module in Sony’s new e-Book reader, LIBRIé, which went on sale in Japan as we publish. E Ink’s electronic ink technology offers a truly paper-like reading experience with contrast similar to newsprint.

The display is reflective and easily read in sunlight or dim light and at any angle, just like paper. Its black and white ink-on-paper look is achieved with a resolution of 170 ppi (pixels per inch), far better than most portable devices (computer screens are normally 72 ppi). As the display uses power only when an image is changed, you can read 10,000 pages on a set of over-the-counter batteries. With a compact, lightweight form factor LIBRIé is similar in size to a paperback book.

LIBRIé allows users to download content, such as books or comic strips and read it anywhere, and it can store 500 downloaded books.

While the way people experience entertainment has changed dramatically with the rapid growth of portable entertainment devices like music and movie players, the way people read books, magazines and newspapers has not.

The commercialization of this revolutionary display technology is a result of a strategic collaboration among E Ink Corporation, Toppan Printing, Philips and Sony and has resulted in more than 100 patents in chemistry, electronics and manufacturing processes.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Now u can send sms through Pens!!

SMS & Email Pen



D:Scribe is a digital fountain pen that allows users to send SMS and email messages from paper. Just write out the message and circle the person’s name to send. This does away with a keypad and allows you to focus on communicating in a more personal way from anywhere as long as you have a bluetooth enabled phone and a surface to write on. The pen also records everything you write which can be accessed on a computer. Of course for the creative peeps, if writing doesn’t suit your fancy, the D:Scribe also works with genius and not so genius drawings of brilliance.



The design is loosely based on a quill and inkwell where by the quill is the writing apparatus and the inkwell is an electromagnetic induction charger.

Once a message is sent, the status is displayed on the built-in OLED screen. The designers have also expanded its capabilities beyond that of messaging. Should your home electronics and appliances be bluetooth enabled, you could potentially program the pen to input commands by writing in the air. A little abstract but lets pretend this idea is more a patent for possibilities.

PC in a Coffee mug?? Strange!!


Yuno Concept Pc



The Yuno PC is a new personal computer concept designed to help you get the most out of your morning without holding you back or constraining you to a desktop PC. Everyone has their own routine, what they read, watch, listen to, and of course drink. The Yuno PC mug incorporates all the important morning alerts such as weather, time, traffic, stocks, and more on its touchscreen display. You can also display your own images as a screensaver if you just want to relax. It lets you enjoy the morning the way you deserve to, stress free and highly caffenaited.



Friday, February 8, 2008

Thats very portable!!

'Infinitely Charged' Built-in cell phone charger



Now here’s a solution that really does have a significant problem to solve. Everyone who owns a cell phone has found themselves somewhere with a low battery without their charger, usually in the least convenient place at the most inconvenient time. In today’s anytime, anywhere communications environment, being without a working cell phone is the equivalent of being technologically naked – it’s not a good look and it can can lead to all manner of collateral problems. Infinitely Charged is a patent-pending design that enables a cell phone to plug directly into a power point.

It’s not the whole answer, but it’s a lot better than having to carry your cell phone charger with you and there’s bound to be a sizable market for all those mission critical people out there who are prepared to sacrifice a smidgen of style to ensure they are connected at all times. Indeed, it would be quite possible to have the phone charging while you’re using it via a Bluetooth headset.

Infinitely Charged is equipped with an electrical plug-in (120v AC power) directly located in the back of the cellular phone. It is designed to flip the plug prong up to store when not in use and flip down when charging is needed.

It’s claimed to be the only product of its type by Californian inventor Ronald Kearns who has a patent pending on the design and is keen to discuss serious production and marketing enquiries.

Monday, February 4, 2008

The New Smart pen!!


Merging the mobile and computer with the humble pen

Efforts to combine the sheer convenience of the pen as an input device with the benefits of digital technology continue to evolve with Livescribe's launch of the Pulse Smartpen. Based on licensed technology from pioneering digital pen developer Anoto, the Pulse is a computer in the shape of a pen that not only digitally captures handwriting, but simultaneously records audio and synchronizes it to the writing. Working in conjunction with a special Dot Paper Notebook, the system promises incredible benefits for students, professionals or anyone in a note taking situation... and that's just the beginning. By simply tapping the pen on the paper, the system will replay audio coinciding with the moment those notes were taken and using navigation controls printed on the bottom of each page, users can fast forward, rewind, jump ahead, pause, and even speed up or slow down their audio recordings. In short - everything you hear, speak or write is captured by the Pulse.

"Pulse is a new type of mobile computer that supports the four basic modes of human communication – reading, writing, speaking and listening," said Livescribe, Inc. Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jim Marggraff. "Using an embedded speaker and display for audio/visual input, and microphones and a pen for audio/visual output, Pulse advances the power and flexibility of mobile computing – it's the missing link that now connects the paper and digital worlds."



The Pulse Smartpen will be available in two models. The 1GB model (USD$149) that provides storage for around 100 hours of recorded audio, 16,000 pages of digital notes or add-on applications while the 2GB (USD$199) provides more flexibility for downloading future applications.

Housed in anodized aluminum, the Pulse Smartpen weighs 1.3 ounces (36 grams) and measures 6.1 inches (155mm). The device features a Samsung ARM 9 (32-bit, 150 MHz) processo,r high speed infrared camera (over 70 images per second) incorporating Dot Positioning System (DPS) technology, a rechargeable lithium battery, a high contrast 96x18 OLED display, dual microphones with noise cancellation and an embedded speaker and an audio jack for Livescribe's 3D Recording Headset, itself optimized for capturing audio in noisy environments.

Recharging and transfer of data to computer is via a light weight USB Mobile Charging Cradle and the included Desktop Software allows storage, replay, and searching for words within handwritten notes after they are transferred to PC. The package will also give users access to the Livescribe Online Community which includes 250MB of online storage to upload and share notes and audio as interactive Flash movies or PDF files.

The Dot Paper Notebook works via a series of nearly-invisible micro dots printed each page that communicate with the smartpen so that it knows where you are writing or tapping. TIn addition to the navigation functionality this allows, the Dot Positioning System also facilitates a full-function calculator on the inside front cover of every notebook. According to Livescribe, additional notebooks will be comparable in price to ordinary paper notebooks and from April, the technology will become available on qualified laser jet printers so that you can print your own Dot Paper.

Coinciding with the launch, Livescribe has also announced a Developer Program inviting developers to build innovative, paper-based computing applications for the Pulse smart pen. Examples of applications already in progress include foreign language translators, productivity tools, games, interactive books, transcription services, and specialized educational aids like applications to assist visually-impaired students.

The applications for this technology seem only limited by the imagination. One interesting example already in development through Audio Tutor is an interactive birding journal that provides visuals and information in both text and audio and lets users record their birding expeditions through handwriting, drawings and audio recordings.

Sony's new PC notebook!!



Sony's wall-mountable VAIO series panel!!


Aiming to merge the PC with a home entertainment center, Sony has added to their VAIO notebook lineup with the release of the LM series notebooks. The LM series features an eye-catching panel PC design reminiscent of Sony’s BRAVIA LCD TV’s with its’ 19 inch screen framed by a transparent bezel to blend into the surrounding environment. For ultimate integration, the VAIO LM series can be wall-mounted and features wireless keyboard, mouse and remote control.

Aimed at those who want the functionality of a PC in their living area, the VAIO LM series is designed as an entertainment hub that doubles as a TV, with inbuilt TV tuner, high quality speakers (including a subwoofer) and a 1.3MP camera that can be used for video conference calls.

The VGC-LM18G features an Intel Core2 Duo Processor T7250 (2.00GHz), 2GB DDR2 SDRAM, 250GB HDD, Windows Vista Home Premium, 19.0" Clear Bright High Colour LCD with four lamp illumination operating at 1440 x 900 WXGA+ resolution, VHF/UHF Connector, Wireless Keyboard, Optical Mouse, Remote Commander and AC Adaptor while the VGC-LM70DB model ups the HDD to 500GB and includes a digital broadcast tuner.

Coinciding with launch of the LM series Sony has also added new models to its VAIO NR and VAIO CR series. The VGN-NR17G features an Intel Core2 Duo processor T5450 (1.66GHz), 1GB DDR2 SDRAM, 120 GB HDD, Windows Vista Home Premium 15.4-inch LCD screen, full-pitched keyboard and has new AV Mode buttons for quick access to entertainment programs and original VAIO software such as VAIO Movie Story and VAIO Music Box.

Joining the VAIO CR series, the VGN-CR25G runs on an Intel Core2 Duo Processor T7250 (2.00GHz) with 1GB DDR2 SDRAM, 160GB HDD, Windows Vista Home Premium, ATI Mobility Radeon X2300 (Max 319MB), 14.1” Clear Bright LCD Lite Display and a 1.3MP Motion Eye Camera. Aimed at the hip and fashionable the VAIO CR series will be available in blue, pink, red, black, white and new premium gold.

"The LM series carries the hallmarks of the innovation and style Sony is known for. The VAIO NR series is a functional and easy to use home notebook, and the Premium Gold notebook is sure to lead the next fashion trend!" said Hiro Ishikawa, Senior Product Manager for VAIO at Sony Australia.

The new range will be available from mid-November. For further info visit Sony.


Jelly Click!!

New mouse for Laptop! Simply blow and Use!



Portablity is very important for a laptop mouse.
Emphasis on portablity results in decrease of the usability and vice versa.
'Jelly click' is a flat type portable mouse that can be used by being inflated satisfying
both portability and usability of a laptop mouse. When deflated the user can fold it up
for a convenient portability and when inflated
and in use a feeling as if you were tou-
ching a soft jelly or even a balloon can be felt.

A simple hands free!!

Hands free, now very easy to use!

Hands-free products for mobile phones did actually made our "hands free"
however,
the way most products are designed can easily be affected by noise,

Leading to unclear voice transmission just like pulling up your neck tie,
'Tie up' can pull the microphone towards your mouth.
Thus, even if you are in a
crowded space or in a public place where silence is necessary, with the
minimum volume of your voice,
Pleasant communication is possible.


1. When the lower body and the microphone is separated the call is forwarded.
If you think of it the other way around, the microphone unit can be pulled towards
the lower body unit. When the microphone is plugged in the call will automatically
end.
2. The user doesn't need to spend all day trying to find the volume button.
Simply just pull it and instant volume control is possible

Friday, February 1, 2008

The Mental Typewriter



Unbelievable!!

Scientists demonstrating a brain-computer interface that translates brain signals into computer control signals this week at CeBIT in Berlin. The initial project demonstrates how a paralysed patient could communicate by using a mental typewriter alone – without touching the keyboard. In the case of serious accident or illness, a patient’s limbs can be paralyzed, severely restricting communication with the outside world. The interface is already showing how it can help these patients to write texts and thus communicate with their environment. There’s also a PONG game (computer tennis) used to demonstrate how the interface can be used. Brain Pong involves two BBCI users playing a game of teletennis in which the “rackets” are controlled by imagining movements and predictably the general media has focussed the majority of its attention on computer gaming applications but BCCI could equally be used in safety technologies (e.g. in automobiles for monitoring cognitive driver stress), in controlling prostheses, wheelchairs, instruments and even machinery.

On the first day of the CeBIT Computer Fair, Fraunhofer FIRST and the Berlin Charité demonstrated how the mental typewriter could be used for this purpose. On the other days of the CeBIT Fair, a simulated test setup using a shop-window dummy will be on display.

Cooperation between Fraunhofer FIRST and the Charité to develop an interface between the human brain and the computer began some years ago. The result was the Berlin Brain-Computer Interface (BBCI which uses the electrical activity of the brain in the form of an electroencephalogram (EEG). Electrodes attached to the scalp measure the brain’s electrical signals. These are then amplified and transmitted to the computer, which converts them into technical control signals. The principle behind the BBCI is that the activity of the brain already reflects the purely mental conception of a particular behaviour, e.g. the idea of moving a hand or foot.

The BBCI recognizes the corresponding changes in brain activity and uses them, say, to choose between two alternatives: one involves imagining that the left hand is moved, the other that the right hand is moved. This enables a cursor, for example, to be moved to the left or right. The person operating the mental typewriter uses the cursor to select a letters field. The next step reduces the choice, and after a few more steps we arrive at the individual letters, which can be used to write words. This process enables simple sentences to be constructed within minutes. A first prototype of the mental typewriter is currently available. In a series of experiments, different spelling methods are tested in terms of their usability and are adapted to the BBCI. It will be some years, though, before the mental typewriter can be used in everyday applications. Further research is needed, in particular to refine the EEG sensors.

The two project heads, Prof. Dr. Klaus-Robert Müller (Fraunhofer FIRST) and Prof. Dr. Gabriel Curio (Charité), will be available for interviews.

Could you belive this? My god!!

New data transmission record - 60 DVDs per second!!

As the world’s internet traffic grows relentlessly, faster data transmission will logically become crucial. To enable telecommunications networks to cope with the phenomenal surge in data traffic as the internet population moves past a billion users, researchers are focusing on new systems to increase data transmission rates and it’s not surprising that the world data transmission record is continually under threat. Unlike records where human physical capabilities limit new records to incremental growth, when human ingenuity is the deciding factor, extraordinary gains are possible. German and Japanese scientists recently collaborated to achieve just such a quantum leap in obliterating the world record for data transmission. By transmitting a data signal at 2.56 terabits per second over a 160-kilometer link (equivalent to 2,560,000,000,000 bits per second or the contents of 60 DVDs) the researchers bettered the old record of 1.28 terabits per second held by a Japanese group. By comparison, the fastest high-speed links currently carry data at a maximum 40 Gbit/s, or around 50 times slower.

"You transmit data at various wavelengths simultaneously in the fiber-optic networks. For organizational and economic reasons each wavelength signal is assigned a data rate as high as possible", explains Prof. Hans-Georg Weber from the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications,Heinrich-hertz-Institute HHI in Berlin, who heads a project under the MultiTeraNet program funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

A few weeks ago the scientist and his team established a new world record together with colleagues from Fujitsu. Data is transmitted in fiber-optic cables using ultrashort pulses of light and is normally encoded by switching the laser on and off. A pulse gives the binary 1, off the 0. You therefore have two light intensity states to transmit the data. The Fraunhofer researchers have now managed to squeeze more data into a single pulse by packing four, instead of the previous two, binary data states in a light pulse using phase modulation."

"Faster data rates are hugely important for tomorrow's telecommunications", explains Weber. The researcher assumes the transmission capacity on the large transoceanic traffic links will need to increase to between 50 and 100 terabits per second in ten to 20 years. "This kind of capacity will only be feasible with the new high-performance systems."