Fiber Optics
Benefits
Fiber optic cables can extend large bandwidth content over extremely long distances in a small diameter. Fiber optic cables are immune to extreme changes in temperature and moisture levels, both of which can hinder transmission in copper cables. As fiber optic cables do not conduct electrical signals, it is impossible to remotely detect any data signal that is being transmitted, and attempts at physical access would be detectable by surveillance.
High-specialized fiber optic instruments allow physicians to view and work on delicate organs. The use of fiber optics provides doctors the ability to deliver UV and IR laser power for the destruction and removal of diseased tissues, the devices used are called arthroscopes or endoscopes.
Fiber Optic Real Shape (FORS) developed by Philips enables real-time 3D visualization of the full shape of devices inside the body without the need for stepping on the fluoroscopy pedal, sends pulses of light through hair-thin optical fibers within minimally invasive devices. It greatly reduces the need for using X-ray for all steps of procedures, reducing radiation and procedure time.
Negative Impact
Handling fiber optic cables can result in skin injury from glass shards, and the risk increases if these are ingested, which can lead to serious internal organ damage. Chemicals are commonly used to clean or process fibers, and this should only be undertaken in well-ventilated areas. Poor disposal of glass fragment waste could endanger other handlers of the waste.
Invention History
Charles Kuen Kao (1933-2018) is known as the “father of fiber optic communications” for his discovery in the 1960s of certain physical properties of glass, which laid the groundwork for high-speed data communication in the Information Age. Before Kao's pioneering work, glass fibers were widely believed to be unsuitable as a conductor of information because of excessively high signal loss from light scattering. Kao realized that, by carefully purifying the glass, bundles of thin fibers could be manufactured that would be capable of carrying huge amounts of information over long distances with minimal signal attenuation and that such fibers could replace copper wires for telecommunication.
References
https://www.aten.com/global/en/resources/feature-articles/4-key-benefits-fiber-optic-transmission/
https://www.universeoptics.com/fiber-optics-used-in-medical-field/
https://www.labelsource.co.uk/news/post/risks-when-using-fibre-optic-cables#:~:text=Laser%20danger%20hazards.,undertaken%20in%20well%2Dventilated%20areas.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3146387/
