NEW TECHNOLOGY SPURS USE OF OPTICAL FIBERS

OPTICAL FIBERS APPEAR TO BE ON THE VERGE OF COMPETING ON A LARGE SCALE WITH WIRE, CABLE, AND MICROWAVE TRANSMISSION NETWORKS. THE ADVANTAGES OFFERED BY GLASS AND PLASTIC OPTICAL FIBERS ARE SMALL SIZE, HIGH CAPACITY THROUGH MULTIPLEXED SIGNALS, AN EASY ADD-ON FEATURE FOR FUTURE CAPACITIES, LOW MATERIAL COST, EXCELLENT BENDING OF SIGNALS OVER LONG DISTANCE, AND FREEDOM FROM INTERFERNCE FROM IMPINGING FORCE FIELDS. IN THE TRANSPORTATION FIELD, THE IMMEDIATE USES THAT ARE FORSEEN INCLUDE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATION (SOME USE ALREADY) AND, IN THE NEAR FUTURE, SINGLE-HARNESS SYSTEMS TO TAKE CARE OF NEARLY ALL OF A VEHICLE'S ILLUMINATION NEEDS, INCLUDING EXTERIOR SIGNAL LIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANELS. THE MOST PROMISING APPLICATION IS SEEN IN THE COMMUNICATIONS FIELD, ESPECIALLY SHORT- RANGE COMMUNICATIONS. A POTENTIAL HIGHWAY APPLICATION IS TO DIRECTIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL SIGNS.

• Publication Date: 1972-9

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 13-4
• Serial:
  • Chemical and Engineering News
  • Volume: 50
  • Issue Number: 39
  • Publisher: American Chemical Society

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Communication systems; Fiber optics; Fibers; Lighting; Optics; Traffic signs
• Old TRIS Terms: Optical communication systems
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00226523
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 7 1973 12:00AM