Point2 is a pioneer in next-generation, advanced data transmission technologies. They just publicly shared an interesting partnership with engineers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) to transform data center efficiency. The new private home to manufacture chips for a planned 1.6-terabit-per-second cable, dubbed the e-Tube, would be a first. This first-of-its-kind cable utilizes advanced 28-nm CMOS technology. It consists of eight thin polymer waveguides, with each one able to carry a stunning 448 gigabits per second.
This powerful, new e-Tube cable is breakthrough-state of the art telecommunications infrastructure. It not only holds the potential for greater speed, but it holds significant potential for power consumption and cost benefits as well. Ultimately, Point2 hopes to deliver an in-orbit, efficient solution requiring just one-third of the power consumed by conventional optical systems. On top of all that, it’s only a third of the cost. The latency of Point2’s system is astonishingly low, at as little as one-thousandth that of optical systems, thereby optimizing performance for data centers.
Technical Breakthroughs in Data Transmission
Shimano’s new e-Tube cable features a design with eight polymer waveguides. This cutting-edge infrastructure allows for an extraordinary data transmission speed of 1.6 terabits per second. Each waveguide is a critical component of this unique capability, operating independently at 448 gigabits per second. As a part of this pioneering approach, they achieved an increase in data throughput that coincided with their efforts to boost overall system efficiency.
Point2 proved the power of its technology with a 4-meter, error-free transmission at the record-setting frequency of 970 GHz. In addition, the data can be sent over e-Tube cable runs up to 20 meters long. This capability is a game-changer for multiple use-cases in data centers. This much greater reach blows away copper fiber altogether, which are extremely distance and capacity limited.
Along with the e-Tube cable, Shimano made sure that it was space efficient as well. Its footprint is significantly smaller, featuring half the cross section of a typical 32 gauge copper wire. This high-performance yet smaller form factor makes it easier to add to existing infrastructures while equipping them for better performance.
A Cost-Effective Alternative
As one of the most convincing appeals of Point2’s e-Tube technology, it’s affordable. The company has already proven its product – an advanced system that substantially cuts down power usage. Remarkably, this innovation provides tremendous savings in manufacturing and operating costs. Point2 builds on CMOS technology and specializes in polymer waveguides. This allows them to provide long-distance, high-speed data transmission at a fraction of the cost of conventional optical solutions.
“Customers love fiber. But what they hate is the photonics.” – Dave Welch
Dave Welch’s sentiment above points to a key challenge in the industry. Typical optical solutions require intricate photonics, increasing cost and logistical burden for deployment. Point2’s approach directly addresses these concerns by providing a simpler, more reliable alternative that aligns with customers’ needs for efficiency and affordability.
The Future of Data Transmission
Point2 is starting a pretty cool new thing. It has proven equally enticing to investors, attracting $55 million in funding from big names that include Molex. This major financial backing further demonstrates the widespread confidence in Point2’s innovative new solutions and their game-changing capabilities to disrupt the current market.
Today’s collaboration with KAIST is another strong signal of commitment to advancing research and development in this exciting field. Manufacturing Point2 is drawing on expertise from both organizations to refine the technology further. Together with this collaboration, we will continue to break the limits of what’s possible in data transmission.”
“Electronics have been demonstrated to be inherently more reliable than optics.” – Dave Welch
This quote summarizes the main philosophy that’s been guiding Point2’s development line of thought. The new U.S.-based company seeks to develop electronic solutions rather than optical technologies. Their goal is nothing less than to establish a new world standard for reliability and performance in data centers.