Fibre optics - the hidden enabler of our daily lives

Fibre optic systems are well known for their role within the telecommunications industry, providing high speed data connectivity for a wide range of applications. Fibre’s role is not limited to telecoms networks, however, its ability to carry huge quantities of data over a connection no thicker than a human hair has benefits for a wide spectrum of use cases across multiple verticals.

In this article we illustrate how the characteristics of fibre optics are enabling innovation in three specific sectors - medical technology, automotive and aerospace – and we discuss how Molex’s comprehensive portfolio of optical technology ensures that customers have access to the components that meet the specific needs of the application. 

A brief overview of fibre

Optical fibres, figure 1, are flexible strands, slightly thicker than a human hair, (100 microns max) and made from either glass, (silica) or plastic. Data is transmitted in the form of encoded light rays, emitted by an LED or laser, and received by a photo-sensitive device. There are two main types of fibre: 

Single-Mode has only one optical strand with a relatively narrow core diameter of size 8.3 to 10 microns

Multi-Mode features a core ten times larger than single-mode cable, enabling light waves to travel in several different paths simultaneously. Multimode cables are used for short-distance data transmission such as the interconnection of two different networking devices. 

Multiple optical fibres are usually bundled together to form a fibre optic cable system for high-capacity data transmission purposes. 

Figure 1: Optical fibre
Source: https://www.britannica.com/science/fiber-optics

Medical technology is a constantly advancing field, with global industry sales rising from 295 billion euros in 2007 to 536 billion in 2021 and forecast to reach 633 billion euros by 2024. Fibre optics are one of the key technologies enabling this growth and are used in multiple areas of medical practice, including urology, ophthalmology, and cardiology. Optical fibres have several advantages when it comes to medical instrumentation, with their ability to transmit large quantities of data in space-limited applications. Common medical devices employing optical fibre technology include: 

• Biomedical sensors which measure a variety of physiological parameters, such as body temperature, blood pressure, and muscle displacement
• Endoscopic imaging uses fibre optic cameras to examine a patient internally, enabling diagnosis and health monitoring without the need for invasive surgery.
• Telemedicine allows medical practitioners to analyse and work with patients remotely, faster than ever before.
• Video systems – Fibre optics allow more video and audio information to be transmitted, allowing the transmitting of data more widely across screens and intercoms in a hospital setting.
   

The development of single-use, disposable fibre-optic catheters or scopes for invasive surgery has yielded several advantages over older surgical methods, including a reduction in infections caused by sterilization processes. The increased use of optical fibres in medical instrumentation has also supported a growth in non-invasive procedures, generally resulting in reduced healing times and shorter hospital stays.
Medical technology using fibre-optics continues to develop, with a new generation of network-connected instruments which can be used with smartphones, including:

• The Cellscope- a microscope which attaches to a smartphone and can take magnified pictures
• The smartphone otoscope
• The smartphone ophthalmoscope
   

This innovation is particularly valuable for practitioners working in remote locations since data can be transmitted data across cellular networks. 

The connected automobile

Modern automobiles are becoming increasingly sophisticated and, while the fully self-driving car is not yet a commercial reality, many vehicles utilise autonomous technologies to enhance driver and passenger comfort, convenience, and safety. Onboard architectures are evolving towards a zonal structure, figure 2, where automotive functions are grouped by locations and connected to a central computer via a zonal gateway. This architecture enables information transmitted from a wide range of sensors within the vehicle to be shared data as while, at the same time, minimising the use of expensive, and heavy, wiring looms. 

Figure 2: Vehicle domain control architecture
Source: https://www.britannica.com/science/fiber-optics

At the same time, as the data volumes within the automobile increases, traditional, copper wiring looms come under pressure, due to their weight and bulk. Optical fibre is therefore becoming increasingly popular among manufacturers due to its higher bandwidths, reduced latencies, and EMI immunity. Additionally, the reduction in weight achievable through optical fibre connectivity, brings important advantages in efficiency, particularly in Electric Vehicles, (EVs), where range is critical. 

The increase in data flow is not limited to the internal architecture, however. Virtually all modern vehicles come equipped with an internet connection which enables the data from onboard sensors to be shared externally, improving the driving experience, and giving the vehicle a level of independent decision-making capability. Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) connectivity is a wireless technology standard developed to support data exchange between a vehicle and its surroundings. V2X aims to improve driver awareness of obstacles and potential dangers, reducing accident rates and improving traffic flow. V2X relies on high-speed low-latency wireless communication, such as 5G and also on the development of sophisticated roadside infrastructure, including traffic light controllers, weather sensors, traffic/pedestrian detectors, dynamic message signs, and V2X Roadside Units (RSU). These RSU contain networking components such as routers, switches and computing modules which analyse data and communicate with remote traffic management centres. The need to effectively network this expanding roadside infrastructure is already driving an increase in demand for fibre, particularly in densely populated, urban areas. 

Advanced avionics need fibre connectivity

The aerospace sector is another example of an industry where fibre optics play an increasing role in data communications. Avionics systems are responsible for multiple tasks which are essential to safe and effective flight, including flight control, navigation, and communication. Ongoing advances in electronics technologies are enabling increasingly sophisticated avionics, resulting in more and faster data flows within the aircraft, whether it be a commercial or military jet, an unmanned aerial vehicle, (UAV), a spacecraft, or a satellite. 

 

Figure 3: Avionics are essential to safe and effective flight
Source; Shutterstock

Radar, for example, essential to the safety of the aircraft, generates high-resolution data which must be processed and displayed in near real-time. LiDAR systems create three-dimensional computer models of the plane’s physical surroundings in real-time and systems such as the automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) and flight information services-broadcast (FIS-B) gather and deliver valuable information in and out of the aircraft’s cockpit. On top of this, streaming video is a growing application in the aerospace sector, whether it be supporting inflight entertainment systems or enabling a UAV to capture and transmit surveillance images. 

Fibre is a key enabler of these advances in avionics capabilities. Weighing up to 10 times as much as an equivalent fibre, a copper cable would rapidly constrain the aircraft’s ability to handle the increased data volumes, due to space, weight, and power, (SWaP) considerations. As well as its lighter weight, a fibre connection can support bandwidths up to 60 terabytes per second, (Tbps), compared with 10 gigabytes per second, (Gbps) for copper. Fibre’s immunity to EMI also increases the flexibility of aircraft design since sensitive instruments can be located closer together without risk of interference and overall security is increased due to reduced signal leakage in optical communications. 

 

Component choice is crucial when designing with optical fibre

When selecting components for any fibre-optic system, the designer must consider factors such as fibre size, bandwidth, and attenuation, along with the application’s environment. Fibre core diameters range from 8 to 200 micros and cladding sizes and types offer differing levels of protection against stress, vibration, and humidity. Smaller cores offer higher bandwidths and lower attenuation but require higher powered transmitters and fibres are optimized for operation at certain wavelengths. It is therefore important to consider the performance of the overall system, ensuring that the fibre size matches the transmitter and receivers being used and fibre construction and other components of the solution are suited to the operating conditions. 

As a leading supplier of advanced fibre optic components, Molex has an extensive portfolio of advanced optical solutions covering optical connectivity, opto-electronic components, and wavelength management products. Customers can also leverage Molex's wide range of design, manufacturing, and value-added services to ensure the successful end-to-end implementation of their optical fibre solutions. 

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