Taara is the latest moonshot out of Alphabet’s X lab.
Google just had a lightbulb moment, and it might move internet access out of the dark ages. Over at the company’s moonshot factory X, researchers havethat they believe should enable us to deliver high-speed internet access via beams of light, opening up the possibility of making all those underground cables we currently rely on a thing of the past.
on Friday a new, next-generation chip that it believes can make light-based, high-speed internet a reality. The new Taara chip is a “silicon photonic chip,” per the company, that can steer, track, and correct beams of light used to transmit data through the air without the use of cables. Oh, and this chip is about the size of a fingernail, compared to earlier generations that measured in about as big as a traffic light. According to Google, the way Taara works isn’t entirely dissimilar from how fiber optic cables work. Traditional fiber uses light to carry data, too—it just does so through cables that cost a whole lot to bury underground, especially at a scale to support a massive network. Taara forgoes the physical wires and instead transmits data directly through an invisible beam of light. The company claims the technology is capable of transferring data at speeds as high as 20 Gbps. At the moment, it can send that data over distances as much as 12 miles. Of course, Google isn’t the first to work with light to deliver data. The concept of “Li-Fi” has beenin 2023 and establishing standards for it. Starlink famously uses lasers to deliver data from its low-orbit satellites that communicate with base stations on the ground. But Taara is not beaming data down from space, but rather across the earth. As long as the project’s light bridges can see each other , they can stay connected and transmit data. In an, project lead Mahesh Krishnaswamy offered some lofty promises—and a direct shot at some competition. “We can offer 10, if not 100 times more bandwidth to an end user than a typical Starlink antenna, and do it for a fraction of the cost,” he told the publication—though Wired noted that claim seems to be about Taara’s future potential and not something that it can actually achieve at scale right now.and commercially operational in 12 countries, per Wired. It was also deployed at Coachella to supplement phone networks. And, according to some experts, the light-based technology might be essential to future iterations of the internet, as radio frequency bands areGoogle’s Sergey Brin Says Engineers Should Work 60-Hour Weeks in Office to Build AI That Could Replace ThemThe feature has officially been cleared by the U.S. FDA and will start rolling out at the end of March.PSA: Google Is Making It Easier to Remove Your Personal Information From Search ResultsYou may soon be able to activate the Android assistant with 'Hey Gemini,' potentially signaling the end for 'Hey Google.'The online textbook and homework help company has seen its stock price crater since the pandemic and the rise of ChatGPT.The company says the multi-billion dollar investment is needed to strengthen the reliability of the global internet and support AI innovation.Daima
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Trump 2.0 may create powerful tailwinds for two vastly different groups: big banks and small capsTwo exchange-traded fund experts deliver plays that should deliver multi-year gains.
Read more »
Google AI Chief Undeterred by DeepSeek, Says Google's Technology SuperiorGoogle's head of AI, Demis Hassabis, assures employees that DeepSeek's recent success does not pose a significant threat. He highlights the superiority of Google's AI technology and addresses concerns regarding the company's revised AI Principles.
Read more »
Google's AI Chief Unfazed by DeepSeek, Claims Superior TechnologyGoogle's AI chief, Demis Hassabis, addressed employee concerns regarding China's DeepSeek, stating that Google possesses superior AI technology. He downplayed DeepSeek's claims of cost efficiency, suggesting they were exaggerated and reliant on Western AI models. While acknowledging DeepSeek's impressive team and potential geopolitical implications, Hassabis expressed confidence in Google's strategy and leadership in the AI field.
Read more »
Google Gemini Hints at AI-Powered Video GenerationLeaked code suggests Google is developing an AI video generation feature within its Gemini chatbot.
Read more »
Google Gemini Features Removed From iOS Google AppGoogle has discontinued Gemini features within its iOS Google app, directing users to the dedicated Gemini app. This shift aims to streamline the Gemini experience and consolidate its functionality into a single platform. Users can continue accessing all Gemini features, including AI-powered tools for brainstorming, research, planning, and creative tasks, through the standalone Gemini app available on the App Store.
Read more »
Marvel Just Stopped Developing a Bunch of TV Shows You Forgot It Was DevelopingMeanwhile, Charlie Cox clarifies that he's ready for more Daredevil–just in Born Again season 2, and not Avengers: Doomsday.
Read more »