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Using Lasers to Speed Computer Data

Posted by Zonk on from the they-are-not-fricking-lasers dept.

Carl Bialik from WSJ writes "The start-up Lightfleet has developed an unusual way to use lasers to speed the flow of data inside a computer, hoping to break a bottleneck that can hamper machines using many microprocessors, the Wall Street Journal reports. The company plans to sell servers it predicts will be much more efficient than existing systems in tackling tough computing problems. Tasks could include automatically recognizing a face in a video image or sifting through billions of financial transactions for signs of illegal activity. These machines will attempt to sidestep some of the problems associated with parallel computation by ensuring all processors are connected, all the time."

5 of 85 comments (clear)

  1. Re:hmm by fymidos · · Score: 2, Funny

    I can feel the heat in that computer room from here ...

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  2. Back to the future by VitaminB52 · · Score: 3, Funny

    If an insect gets inside that computer, then it can block a laserbeam. So debugging get's back to where debugging started: keeping insects out of computer equipment, so they don't obstruct lightpaths.

  3. Re:o_0 by VitaminB52 · · Score: 3, Funny
    Does anyone have any idea how they can have an all-to-all system in which messages don't collide?

    Build the CPU around a large free space inside the computer, in such a way that each CPU has a free line of sight to every other CPU.

    Oh, and make sure no dust or insects can get inside the computer, and secure the IDE and power cables so can't hang around inside said free space.

  4. I know this one! by Neoncat · · Score: 3, Funny

    Hey, I have played this game on c64. I think it was Deflektor.

  5. Duh. by LoudMusic · · Score: 2, Funny

    Like, duh, everything is faster with freaking laser beams.

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