Wireless optical networks could provide gigabit-per-second data transfer

[Sporkman]

A wireless network that uses reflected infrared light instead of radio waves has transmitted data through the air at a speed of one gigabit per second--six to 14 times faster than the fastest Wi-Fi network. Such optical networks could provide faster, more secure communications and would be especially suitable for use in hospitals, aircraft, and factories, where radio-frequency transmission can interfere with navigation equipment, medical devices, or control systems. Another possible application is wireless networking for home theaters; a system that transmits data at 1.6 gigabits per second could broadcast two separate high-definition TV channels across a room, a capacity that exceeds the bandwidth of any existing radio system.

Penn State graduate student Jarir Fadlullah and Mohsen Kavehrad, professor of electrical engineering and director of the university's Center for Information and Communications Technology Research, built and tested the experimental system...

http://www.technologyreview.com/communications/24522/?a=f

[hessiess]

infrared data communication is nothing new, its not that practical because it requires a line of sight between the transmitter and receiver. i.e. you have to be in the same room as the transmitter, in which case you may as well just use a wire...