Laser-powered wireless hits 360 Gbps and uses half the energy of Wi-Fi Tiny lasers using light instead of radio waves could supercharge wireless speeds while cutting energy use. - Date: - April 2, 2026 - Source: - SPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics - Summary: - A new breakthrough in wireless technology could dramatically boost internet speeds while cutting energy useâby switching from radio waves to light. Researchers have developed a tiny chip packed with dozens of miniature lasers that can transmit massive amounts of data simultaneously, reaching speeds over 360 gigabits per second in early tests. - Share: Fast, reliable wireless connections are essential in everyday life. Video calls, streaming, virtual reality, and connected devices all rely on networks that are already under heavy strain. Today, most wireless communication depends on radio-based technologies like Wi-Fi and cellular networks. While these systems have enabled global connectivity, they are running into growing challenges such as crowded radio frequencies, signal interference in busy indoor environments, and increasing energy demands as more devices come online. One emerging solution is optical wireless communication, which uses light instead of radio waves to transmit data. Light offers significantly more available bandwidth, avoids interference with existing wireless systems, and can be directed with high precision. These advantages make it especially appealing for indoor spaces like offices, homes, hospitals, data centers, and public venues where many users need fast connections at the same time. In a study published in Advanced Photonics Nexus, researchers developed a compact optical wireless transmitter that delivers both extremely high speeds and improved energy efficiency. The system is built around a tiny chip containing an array of semiconductor lasers, combined with an optical design that carefully controls how light is distributed. Together, these components create a scalable platform for high-capacity indoor wireless communication. Tiny