Term of the Moment
headset
Definition: photonics
The science of generating and transmitting light (photons). Photonics deals with light starting in the infrared range, through visible light to ultraviolet light at the highest frequency. Most photonic systems use electricity and electronic circuits as their source of energy. See optoelectronics, silicon photonics and spectrum.
Not Really
Photonics was predicted to become mainstream by 2005, as this article from PC Magazine in 1995 forecast. Light-based computers have yet to materialize; however, today's PCs have long exceeded these storage and RAM projections.