Wi-Fi is super convenient, but if it lacks one major element: speed. But that may be about to change thanks to some researchers in Japan who have set a record for wireless data transmission speed at 20 times the speed of conventional wifi.
The technology is called Terahertz Wi-Fi because it uses the unregulated terahertz band of the electromagnetic spectrum to transmit data. Japanese scientists have been able to achieve real-world wireless speeds of 3GB/s via the tech. Terahertz wifi is capable of speeds as high as 100GB/s — at least in theory.
Up until now, terahertz tech was used mostly for research applications, because components were previously bulky and expensive. But this new device created in Japan is far smaller and cheaper, representing a massive advance towards commercial viability. With further research, terahertz Wi-Fi could soon find its way into smartphones, computers, and routers, improving connection speeds across the board. Now, if only these researchers could figure out a way to make airplane Wi-Fi speeds improve past a dial-up-esque crawl....
This article originally published at Tecca here