Superfast Internet Thanks to Chips That Think with Light

(04-06-2025) What if the internet could be 10 times faster and greener? That’s exactly what researcher Sarah Masaad is working on. She’s developing a new technology that processes signals not with electricity, but with... light. And that makes a big difference.

“We’re looking for ways to make the internet faster, cheaper, and more energy-efficient,” Sarah explains. “That’s why we’re replacing electronic processing with optical processing.”

Why change is needed

Internet traffic is growing incredibly fast. Think about videos, online gaming, smart homes... everything runs on data. All that data needs to be transmitted and processed at lightning speed. Today, that usually happens with digital chips, but they use a lot of energy and are expensive.

“Especially in shorter networks, like between data centers or fiber connections to your home, we need to work smarter,” says Sarah.

Light as a superfast messenger

Instead of classic electronic chips, Sarah uses a tiny chip that processes signals with light. This is not only faster, but also far more energy-efficient. The chip uses a clever machine learning technique called “reservoir computing.”

“You can think of it as a mini brain on a chip,” says Sarah. “It learns from examples and adapts, just like we do.”

This light-based chip also requires no power during operation—saving tons of energy.

Does it actually work?

Yes! Sarah tested the technology in different types of networks, including those where signals tend to get distorted more easily. In those cases, her chip even outperformed traditional digital techniques. Her results show that the system can reduce errors by up to four times when transmitting data.

“By placing the smart chip before the receiver, we can correct many distortions without relying on expensive or slow electronics,” Sarah explains.

What does this mean for you?

In the future, this technology could mean: