The CSIRO ICT Center announced that it has achieved six gigabits per second over a point to point wireless connection with the highest efficiency (2.4bits/s/Hz) ever achieved for such a link. The team demonstrated the link yesterday by transmitting 16 streams of DVD quality video over a 250 meter link with no loss of quality or delays. The demo only consumed one quarter of the link's capacity--so theoretically, the team could have transmitted 64 DVD quality video streams simultaneously.
The team's leader, Dr. Jay Guo, said the breakthrough is merely a first step--the researchers have their sights set on a link that can transmit 12 gigabits per second. Guo offered a potential application for the technology: "The system is suitable for situations where a high speed link is needed, but it is too expensive or logistically difficult to lay fiber, such as in congested urban environments, and across valleys and rivers… The system is also ideal for creating networks to meet short term needs such as emergencies and large events."
For more on CSIRO's breakthrough technology:
- see this article from HPCWire
- check out this related press release about CSIRO's WiFi patent claims