1 March 2022
While you might not associate OFC with topics such as machine learning (ML) or artificial intelligence (AI), these technologies are actually playing an increasingly important role in many types of optical communication research. In this blog, we’ll take a look at two of the OFC workshops on these topics that you won’t want to miss.
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By Casimer DeCusatis | Posted: 2 February 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt our work, education, and leisure activities, causing enormous loss of life and impacting the livelihood of millions around the globe. The pandemic has also brought long-standing issues of Internet access to the forefront, as everyone adjusts to video-based collaborative workplaces, distance education, remote healthcare, online commerce, and many other challenges. As we all grapple with pandemic related issues in our daily lives, in this blog we’ll take a look at some of the plans for the annual OFC meeting to address these concerns through special symposiums, workshops, and panel discussions.
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By Casimer DeCusatis | Posted: 20 December 2021
I’ve written about the state of quantum computing systems in previous OFC blogs, which has led some people to ask if I could put together a higher level introduction to the field for newcomers interested in the technology. As I was preparing this blog, I was reminded of the long, winding path that quantum computing has taken from its early inception in the 1960s to the prototype systems available today. In this blog, I’ll try to provide an overview of some basic quantum computing concepts, while also discussing the obstacles that remain before quantum computing becomes mainstream. We’ll need to make a few simplifying assumptions to get started, but since this is an introductory discussion we’ll skim over the more complex details and mathematics for now.
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By Casimer DeCusatis | Posted: 28 October 2021
Research in photonic computing, particularly photonic integrated circuits, has been ongoing for some time; this includes recent applications in neuromorphic computing, the use of large-scale integrated hardware or software systems to mimic biological architectures in the human brain and nervous system. In this blog, we’ll take a quick look at some emerging innovations in this area.
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By Casimer DeCusatis | Posted: 2 September 2021
One of the most highly anticipated sessions at this year’s OFC conference was the symposium on quantum information science and technology in the context of optical communications. While quantum information science covers a broad range of topics including quantum sensors and computer algorithms, some of the most interesting presentations are from leading telecom providers worldwide related to the development of quantum communication systems. Photonics plays a major role in these systems, and holds great potential for next generation voice and data networks. This month, we’ll look at some of the exciting recent developments in this field.
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By Guest blogger - Matt Walker, Chief Analyst, MTN Consulting | Posted: 9 June 2021
If you’re selling technology to communications operators and automation isn’t front and center in your messaging, then you aren’t reading the room right.
Automation is viewed as not only bringing cost savings, but also adding intelligence that humans alone cannot deliver. That applies to deploying and troubleshooting services; designing, building and operating networks; and, even back in the factory & lab setting.
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By Casimer DeCusatis | Posted: 31 May 2021
Many leading computer industry analysts have been predicting a surge in edge computing and networking applications for the coming year despite the recent pandemic. The concept of bringing vital services closer to the network edge is being driven by a need to improve available application bandwidth, reduce latency, improve resiliency, and provide better security. There are many possible use cases including telecom networks that require service provisioning closer to end users—internet of things (IoT) systems, machine learning, augmented reality and more. Since modern enterprises can use centralized resources for compute-intensive workloads and edge resources for real time applications, this approach compliments the hybrid cloud model. These topics will be discussed at the OFC Symposium on MEC-based network architectures in support of enterprise cloud. In preparation for this event, let’s take a look at some of the major industry trends for edge networking and cloud computing.
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By Casimer DeCusatis | Posted: 26 April 2021
Quantum computing has received a lot of attention recently, with a wide range of possible applications ranging from the financial sector to the automotive industry and beyond. It’s only appropriate that discussions on quantum information science will take center stage at OFC 2021. While many near term quantum computers require superconducting materials or other extreme operating conditions, some architectures based on photonics may offer important advantages. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at the optical science behind quantum computers, specifically the role of new laser technologies in creating the next generation of room temperature quantum systems.
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By Casimer DeCusatis | Posted: 8 February 2021
Machine learning has received a lot of attention recently, as it finds applications in everything from self-driving cars and digital personal assistants to language translators and fraud detection systems. It’s apparent that while machine learning (and its cousin, artificial intelligence) can’t solve every problem, there are a set of well-defined issues that are very well suited to this approach.In this blog, we’ll consider what makes a good candidate problem for machine learning, and look at some of the emerging solutions in optical communication physical layer and transport networks.
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By Casimer DeCusatis | Posted: 11 January 2021
Within the past few years, quantum computing has moved from the realm of the purely theoretical into the practical as the world’s first working quantum computers have been demonstrated. Currently, these computers are about as powerful as the early difference engines built out of metal gears and hand cranks by Charles Babbage. But if we can harness polarized photons for quantum calculations, there is enormous potential to scale these devices to much more powerful systems.
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