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The most strange technologies eventually become ubiquitous, so common that one doesn’t even notice them anymore. Fiber Optics technology has made that transition. Once the exclusive wonder of the university labs and researchers, it can now be found in everything from children’s toys to office communications.
 
 What Makes Fiber Optics Technology So Common?
 
 In the simplest terms, defects make the technology so common.
 
 The overwhelming use of fiber optic technology is the transmission of digital data. This data consists of intermittent on and off bursts, making it quite fragile. The amount of data a line can hold is controlled by the rapidity of the switching it can handle, which is in turn determined by its purity. This is why testing is so vital to the equation. Without it, there would be no way to sort out the best fibers for data usage. Therefore, before it is ever bundled into a fiber optic cable, each fiber has to pass stringent tests for data quality. This creates a certain amount of waste in the form of discarded fibers. While these fibers cannot pass the sensitive data cleanly, they still hold onto the property of transmitting light waves.
 
 Why Waste A Good Thing?
 
 The rejected fibers don’t have to be thrown out. They are still able to channel light to whatever location the user wants. This has given rise to everything from toys to modern efficient lighting, all based on the same principles of fiber optic technology.
 
 Some of the earliest people to use the waste fiber optics were special effects model makers. The fibers made it easier to add realistic lighting to the models without adding the heat that could melt the fragile plastics. It wasn’t long before these very same properties came to the attention of designers. Soon, little penlight fiber optic toys could be seen anywhere there were dark events. Then they entered the home. Soon no coffee table was complete without the colorful little fiber optic bonsai tree. Over time, the designs have become more elegant, blending the Fiber Optics technology in a less obtrusive way. Now, designers have started using fiber optics to actually replace home lighting applications, allowing a much higher level of efficiency
 
 These hidden design concepts have brought these little light pipes home, made them a part of our normal everyday lives, and make our lives better for it. As the designers and decorators learn more about the fiber optic technology, the lighting applications will grow in enlightenment. 
 

How The Heck Do Fiber Optics Work?
 
 To the layman, fiber optics technology may seem like an amazingly complex idea and, of course, there is a lot of science and technical jargon that goes into the explanation of a technology that allows a series of tiny, hair-like fiber optics cables to beam information around the world using lasers.
 
 But, at its center, fiber optics and understanding fiber optics receiver transmitter systems is not that difficult, even for those of us who have never even heard the words “fiber optics cable” before.
 
 The Basics of Fiber Optics Receiver Transmitter Systems
 
Born in the 1800s but not fully realized until the 20th century, fiber optics transmits information using pulses of light and/or lasers. These pulses are sent through razor-thin strands of wiring, fiber optics cables, usually made of glass. A receiver then decodes the information, beaming it into homes and offices around the world literally at the speed of light with a quality that is unmatched with today’s technology. Because they use light, many employ the use of fiber optics lighting to illuminate areas or create dramatic lighting effects for signs and displays.
 
 The heart of the fiber optics cable is the core, which is the glass strand in which the light travels. The core is surrounded by the cladding, which reflects the light back into the core, keeping it and guiding it along its path. A plastic coating surrounds the core and cladding for protection. One fiber optics cable can send more information than the largest of traditional electronic wiring and several hundred fiber optics cables can be grouped into a bundle.
 
 At one end of the cable is a transmitter, which breaks down and then sends the information using light impulses. Once it arrives at its destination, a receiver decodes the information and converts it back into data, where it is then sent along to the appropriate media, be it a television, radio, computer or other.
 
What Does Fiber Optics Do For Us?
 
Besides transmitting large amounts of data almost instantaneously, fiber optics cables are less expensive, take up less space, require little power and are less susceptible to lightening strikes and fire-causing sparking. All these benefits add up to savings for providers of Internet, television, telephone and other applications, and these savings are passed along to consumers. Fiber optics cables also are used in medical imaging and surgical technologies, as well as engineering and mechanical inspections and maintenance. More and more power generation facilities are relying on fiber optics as well.
 
 With little to no signal degradation, crystal clear communications, high-speed Internet connections and digital cable have become realities.
 
 Even though you may not see the miles of fiber optics cable buried under you, you benefit from this truly amazing technology every day.