Point2, an IOT technology startup founded by former veterans from Marvell, Nvidia and Samsung, just dropped a bombshell. In doing so, they have accomplished a remarkable breakthrough in data transmission technology. Point2 has collaborated with engineers from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. Jointly, they have developed a pioneering unit that will dramatically increase data center efficiency. This innovation was recently reported in the well-respected peer reviewed IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits.
The new technology is based on 28-nanometer CMOS technology, which hasn’t been thought of as state-of-the-art since 2010. Even with all these factors being true, Point2’s approach is a breathtaking glimpse into the future of data transmission.
Innovative e-Tube Cable Design
Point2’s innovation mainly focuses on the e-Tube cable. This incredible cable is made up of eight super thin polymer waveguides that can carry a total of 1.6 terabits per second. Each waveguide is able to transport 448 gigabits per second by utilizing two frequencies (90 gigahertz and 225 GHz). This unique design provides a multi-fold performance improvement over legacy copper cables.
Point2’s e-Tube cable, for instance, has one silicon chip inside that takes all incoming digital data and turns it into modulated millimeter-wave frequencies. An antenna that radiates into the waveguide installed at each end of the cable enables very high efficiency transfer of data. This ultra-thin cable occupies only a third of the volume of a typical 32-gauge copper cable. It offers the best reach by far—up to 20x greater.
Dave Welch, one of the founders of Point2, emphasized the advantages of their new technology:
“Customers love fiber. But what they hate is the photonics.” – Dave Welch
This statement highlights the common challenges faced by users in adopting fiber optics while underscoring the simplicity and effectiveness of Point2’s solution.
Performance and Efficiency Advantages
Point2’s point-cloud-based system achieves extraordinary power efficiency by using only one-third the energy of conventional optical systems. Plus, it’s one-third of the cost of those systems. It features an equally impressive, 98% reduction in latency. You can obtain answers that are as much as one-thousandth the time that typical systems deliver!
Each fiber of the second-generation e-Tube cable is just 200 µm wide, so thin that the fibers hardly lose any signal, a major improvement from prior generations. This incredibly simple design is able to obtain remarkable losses of only 0.3 dB/m. It makes it a powerful copper cable substitute at 10–20m distances, providing the same high quality signal from beginning to end.
Welch predicts that with their waveguide technology, they’ll be able to transmit data over distances up to 20 meters. This breakthrough is a huge step forward in the field.
“Electronics have been demonstrated to be inherently more reliable than optics.” – Dave Welch
We see this quote as further confirmation in support of Point2’s vision to make the leap from traditional optical systems to more reliable electronic systems.
Financial Backing and Future Prospects
Point2 has raised $55 million in venture capital to push the boundaries of their innovative ideas. Among these investments are expansions from Molex, the world’s largest maker of computer cables and connections. With this financial support, Point2 plans to expand its manufacturing capacity and commercialize its e-Tube technology.
The company’s system comprises several components: a digital interface to connect with the GPU, a terahertz-frequency generator, and a mixer responsible for encoding data onto the terahertz signal. These components combine to create a robust and brilliant environment for high-performance data transmission.
Co-founder Don Barnetson remarked on the industry’s current reliance on copper technology:
“You start with passive copper, and you do everything you can to run in passive copper as long as you can.” – Don Barnetson
Barnetson’s perspective reveals the truth of the enduring challenge in moving from the old technological regime to the new.