Communications

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced and detailed a blueprint for a national quantum internet that would be super-fast and nigh on unhackable. The document describes four priority research areas, and five major milestones on the path.

Radio waves travel poorly through the water, which makes it difficult for divers or submersibles to wirelessly transmit information to the surface. Scientists are trying to change that, though, by developing an underwater version of Wi-Fi.

A new record has been achieved for the fastest internet speed from a single light source – an absolutely astounding 44.2 terabits per second, 44,000 times faster than the highest speed connection. It was made possible by a new kind of optical chip.

Wi-Fi 6 is finally here. The FCC has officially adopted new rules that open up the 6 GHz band for use by regular routers and wireless devices. Basically, that means much faster Wi-Fi speeds for devices that make use of this new legroom.

The US Navy is not only developing robotic warships, but it also wants to teach them how to speak. In a request for proposals, the Navy has outlined how it wants its USVs to be able to have verbal radio communications with the crew of other ships.

A recently published open letter, co-signed by US, UK and Australian governments, requests the company halts its plans to roll out end-to-end encryption across all its platforms.

ESA has released a tool that lets space enthusiasts track probes in real time as they communicate with ground stations on Earth.

​Though most of make use of radio waves to wirelessly transfer data to and from our work mobile devices and computers, there is another way. Signify has just launched a new lighting range called Trulifi that leverages light waves to send and receive wireless data throughout the workplace.​

Radio waves are still the main way to communicate with spacecraft, but that aging technology could soon get an upgrade that will allow faster data downloads from space. NASA is currently preparing to test out an x-ray communication system on the International Space Station.

As any scuba diver knows, communicating while underwater is difficult. Although it's possible to use hand signals, you still have to get other divers' attention so that they see those signals. The Oceans S1 Supersonic dive computer is made to address that problem, using an ultrasonic comms system.

In the modern day, we’re used to sending messages to people over long distances, usually by way of a phone. But now, scientists at MIT have developed a way to use a laser to beam an audible message through thin air to a person standing on the other side of a room, so that only they can hear it.

​Most people will agree that phone conversations are more awkward than face-to-face chats, since you can't gauge the other person's mood by seeing their facial expressions. This is a constant challenge for the blind, which is why Huawei has developed the "face-reading" Facing Emotions app.