Twisted Radio Beams Could Untangle the Airwaves

Urchin writes "The radio frequency spectrum available for wireless communication is becoming increasingly crowded thanks to new wireless technology. A solution to the shrinking space might be to put a spin on radio beams during their transmission, to produce a twisted beam, according to Swedish physicists. In theory, huge amounts of data could be sent in the pitch of the twist, which is distinct from the amplitude and frequency of radio waves — the features used at the moment to send information."

Comments

Re:Twisted Radio Waves

[Doug Merritt]

Nope, that's not what they're doing. They're using physics that wasn't even discovered until 1992.

See http://www.physics.gla.ac.uk/Optics/play/photonOAM/

Re:damn

[commodore64_love]

>>>These guys are proposing polarizing wireless transmissions. Polarization gets affected by ALL kinds of boundary irregularities, such as nearby cars light poles, traffic signal loops and, in buildings, conducting objects like nails, hinges, pipes, etc. This seems so noisy as to be useless.
>>>

Like AM?

"Hello this is Lush Rimbaugh, your liberal talkshow host. Today (crackle crackle crackle) passed the (crackle crackle crackle) bill." ----- Honey there's a storm on the way. I can hear the lightning on the radio.

Yeah you're right. We don't need another Band that sounds as bad as AM. Digital modulation is the way to go if you want maximum efficiency of the spectrum. HD Radio and Digital Radio Modiale can squeeze FM-quality 40-70 kbps sound into just 10 kilohertz, and 5.1 surround sound in 100 kilohertz..... far better than the Amplitude, Frequency, or Twisty Modulation methods.