Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Researchers tout optical infrared

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 02:06:32 -0500

Researchers tout optical infrared

By Joris Evers
January 13, 2003 7:28 am PT

WIRELESS DATA CONNECTIONS have sparked lingering security questions. While most
discussions focus on 802.11b or other radio wireless LAN (WLAN) technologies, researchers
say optical infrared is a cheaper, more secure option.

A new antenna was designed by a team led by Roger Green, professor of electronic
communication systems in the School of Engineering at the University of Warwick, England.
The optical antenna is a type of optical concentrator that captures infrared radiation at
angles up to 90 degrees, blocking the effects of ambient lighting.

Infrared signals can bounce off walls and ceilings, creating the same effect as an 802.11b
or Wi-Fi WLAN access point. The optical concentrator also makes wireless networks more
secure. Infrared beams are easier to control than radio signals and prevent data from
leaking to external spies.

Furthermore, infrared offers up to 10GHz of bandwidth, as opposed to the 2.4GHz band of
the popular 802.11b standard, and does not interfere with any radio frequency
infrastructure, he says.

According to Green, infrared is a viable solution for companies interested in secure
communications over longer distances. It provides secure data transmissions between
buildings, point-and-pay systems, and to connect optical infrared devices like laptops,
cell phones and PDAs.

The optical antenna devised by Green and his team is being built into the first product
prototypes by several companies. And Green suggests that the final products may even be
easy on the CSO's budget. Because infrared does not require bandwidth licensing fees, the
optical antenna products should be cheaper than radio frequency products

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