Alphabet has introduced a breakthrough in optical wireless communication with its newly developed Taara chip, a fingernail-sized silicon photonic chip that uses light beams to transmit high-speed internet. This innovation, announced by Taara General Manager Mahesh Krishnaswamy, is expected to significantly reduce costs and deployment times for high-speed internet connectivity, especially in rural and remote locations.
The Taara chip builds on Alphabet’s first-generation Lightbridge technology, which uses mirrors and sensors to direct light beams for data transmission. Unlike Lightbridge, which is the size of a traffic light, the new chip relies entirely on software for automatic beam steering, eliminating bulky mechanical components.
Taara operates under X, Alphabet’s moonshot division, and its wireless optical link technology originates from Project Loon, Alphabet’s now-defunct initiative to provide internet access via high-altitude balloons. While Loon was shut down in 2021, Taara continued developing light-based broadband, successfully deploying its technology to beam internet across the Congo River and urban areas like Nairobi.
Taara’s system uses invisible, ultra-narrow light beams to transmit data at speeds of up to 20 Gbps over distances of 20 kilometers (12.1 miles). It functions similarly to fiber-optic cables, except it does not require physical infrastructure to carry the light signal.
Unlike traditional fiber networks that take months or years to install, Krishnaswamy noted that Taara’s units can be set up in a matter of days, making it a viable solution for hard-to-reach locations where laying cables is too costly or impractical.
During lab tests, Alphabet’s team successfully transmitted data at 10 Gbps over a one-kilometer distance using two Taara chips. Engineers are now working on enhancing the chip’s capacity and range by scaling up to thousands of light emitters.
The first commercial iteration of the Taara chip is expected to be available by 2026.