AOptix announced that its Intellimax wireless transport product, which combines free-space optics and millimeter-wave links, is being deployed for evaluation by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla.
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AOptix says Intellimax delivers fiber-like performance. |
The Campbell, Calif.-based vendor unveiled its Intellimax family of products in November 2013, targeting telecommunication service providers, enterprises and government organizations. In addition to touting its technology for use in mobile backhaul, the vendor says other applications include fiber diversity and extension, disaster recovery and enterprise last-mile solutions.
AOptix claims its hybrid solution of free-space optics (which uses light in the infrared spectrum) and millimeter-wave links overcomes the vulnerabilities of traditional wireless solutions to changing weather conditions, which might impact either technology on its own. The company says Intellimax can deliver carrier-grade availability and a 2 Gbps constant data rate at distances up to 10 kilometers in a single hop or unlimited distances in a repeater configuration.
AOptix's Intellimax is based on the company's Composite Optical-RF (COR) technology, which leverages advancements scientists made in designing communications methods for deep-space research and military defense applications.
"AOptix has deep roots in space research, and it's fitting that America's space program is now evaluating our technology for future communications applications," said Dean Senner, company chairman and CEO. "But the same technology NASA is using can also increase the capacity of mobile networks, or connect the hundreds of thousands of enterprises that don't yet have fiber connectivity," he added.
Other players in the free-space optics arena include LightPointe Communications, fSona Networks, Skyfiber, Ubiquiti Networks, Northern Hi-Tec, Wireless Excellence and the Society for Optical Communications Systems.
For more:
- see this AOptix release
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