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FiberTape
High bandwidth flat network medium, sticky on one side. | |
This would be a clear (or opaque, depending on the users' needs) tape containing micro strands of optical fiber. Data would travel along this media just as in currently used fiber cables, but would have the flexibility of clear packing tape, with a sticky side which would allow you to apply the tape
to various surfaces (baseboards, desks, ceilings) between the networked devices.
Terminal devices or splices (FiberPlug) can be snapped on to the cut ends of the tape, cleanly slicing into the fibers and can either convert the light signals back into electrical, or special terminal ends could plug directly into fiber compatible ports.
A damaged bit of FiberTape can be replaced by merely splicing in a new section with two FiberSplice snaps, and a long run of tape can have its signal boosted by a FiberBoost snap.
Also for the sake of convenience, the non-sticky side of the tape is slightly textured and easily takes ink from most types of pen and marker.
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I like the idea. I suspect that what you describe (the
modularity/flexibility) can be done with regular
optical fibres, but a flat system would have
advantages. |
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Question, though. A regular optical fibre has a fairly
thick outer jacket, both for physical protection and
to prevent its being bent too sharply - how would this
work with a tape? How flat can an optical tape be,
and still work? |
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Yeah, that's a question for the engineers. I'm wondering whether the shape of the fibers themselves could be modified to be flatter, allowing more flexibility in the tape plane, and a bit less so from side to side. |
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