What is IOWN? ～Background of participating in IOWN-GF～
Copied to clipboard
Create new value through originality and challenge. This is Hakusan Inc.
From this article, we will deliver the details of the research and development carried out by Hakusan Inc. IOWN promotion department. The theme of the series of articles is "Toward the realization of Photonics-Electronics-Convergence! The future connected by Photonics/Optics."
Since its founding in 1947, Hakusan Inc. has always faced customer needs and developed technology. For the past 20 years, we have focused on the development of connection technology and products for optical communication connectors, with the key word being "optical connection", focusing on the "MT Ferrule", a component for multifiber optical connector.
Furthermore, in January 2021, we established a new department called the IOWN Promotion Department, and started working on optical connection technology and products that contribute to "Photonics-Electronics-Convergence technology." Some of you may be unfamiliar with the name IOWN.
In this article, we will deliver the background of the establishment of the IOWN Promotion Department and some of the contents of its research and development.
Innovative Optical and Wireless Network, "IOWN" is an acronym for four English words. IOWN is an innovative optical and wireless communication network.
The amount of data communication in our society is increasing dramatically. Our lives are made more convenient and comfortable, and better entertainment is provided. It means that there is a lot of information flowing around us.
As a result, the traffic (volume of information) within data centers, which are the core bases for information processing, has increased significantly, especially recently.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the amount of data traffic on the Internet has increased about five times compared to 2015. You can also see that the load factor of the data center is gradually increasing.
IOWN is a solution to concerns about increased power consumption in data centers due to increased data traffic volume, and a network proposal that adapts to the aging society, self-driving society, and new social styles.
Specifically, it is a communication infrastructure concept with enormous computational resources based on high-speed, large-capacity communication centered on light.
IOWN consists of three major technical elements.
All-photonics network: A network that uses optical (photonics) technology for everything from the network to terminals.
Digital twin computing: Computing technology that enables future predictions that can be applied in the real world by digitally creating a virtual world that closely resembles reality.
Cognitive Foundation: Network, network services that use it, digital twin computing technology, etc., connect all technologies and realize control.
Above all, what is extremely important in realizing the IOWN concept is the "all-photonics network," which is the basic network technology. In order to realize this, it is considered necessary to achieve three specific technical performances. (Based on the technology at the time of the IOWN concept)
Power consumption efficiency: Reduction of power consumption by 100 times power efficiency (from technology at the time of IOWN conception) As an example, consider transmission media (optical fiber cables, etc.), transmission systems, and information processing substrates (Photonics-Electronics-Convergence devices).
Increased transmission capacity: Increased data transmission capacity by 125 times For example, expanding the communication wavelength band and examining high-density optical fiber cables.
Reduced end-to-end latency: Even in remote locations, the communication time lag between senders and receivers is reduced by a factor of 200. As an example, consider realization by eliminating the need for waiting processing and data compression.
By achieving these three technical performances, the key technology at the core of the all-photonics network will be "Photonics-Electronics-Convergence technology."
This technology was announced by NTT in 2019, and triggered the establishment of the IOWN concept.
In order to realize this IOWN concept, NTT, SONY, and Intel will work together to establish the IOWN Global Forum (IOWN-GF) as an organization that aims to realize and spread the IOWN concept together with partners in related fields. was launched. The establishment of this organization was announced in October 2019 and was established as a US corporation in January 2020.
Hakusan Inc. began participating in IOWN-GF in January 2021. The background to participating in IOWN-GF, in other words, the background to the establishment of the IOWN promotion department, is that Hakusan Inc.'s optical connection technology and products can contribute to the IOWN concept.
The key to the IOWN concept is the "Photonics-Electronics-Convergence" technology, which replaces conventional electrical transmission with optical transmission, enabling electricity to specialize in information processing.
The basic concept is that by shortening or eliminating the distance of electrical transmission through Photonics-Electronics-Convergence technology, the heat radiation from the electrical transmission cable is suppressed, and the power required to cool the heat radiation is suppressed.
In other words, the area of optical transmission will expand and the number of optical connections will increase.
MT Ferrules, the main product of Hakusan Inc., are parts for multifiber optical connector (connectors that connect many optical fibers) used in data centers.
This MT Ferrule is a core component that determines the connection accuracy of optical connectors. MT Ferrule, which is an ultra-precise resin-molded part, achieves submicron (less than 1 µm) dimensional accuracy, especially for the fiber hole through which an optical fiber with an outer diameter of 125 µm passes.
An increase in optical transmission means an increase in the number of optical connections.
In other words, optical connection technology will become even more important.
Hakusan Inc. joined IOWN-GF because we believe that the technological capabilities and knowledge in the optical communication field cultivated by MT Ferrule can contribute to the IOWN concept using Photonics-Electronics-Convergence.
Value provided by Hakusan
So, what kind of specific value can Hakusan Inc. provide for the IOWN concept?
In Photonics-Electronics-Convergence Photonics-Electronics-Convergence, the number of optical connections will increase as more and more parts are replaced by light instead of electricity. As a result, new requirements (miniaturization and environmental resistance such as heat resistance) are likely to be required for optical connection parts, and we are developing new products that meet these requirements.
In addition, IOWN-GF is actively discussing use cases (applications and methods of utilization) for actually using IOWN, such as infrastructure such as autonomous driving and entertainment such as live performances and games. On the other hand, there are active discussions on detailed technical elements for building the All Photonics Network (APN), which is the technical foundation of IOWN.
Hakusan Inc. mainly participates in discussions on technical elements, and in particular, provides technology, information, and sometimes proposals regarding optical connections in groups related to expansion of transmission capacity.
In this discussion, consideration is being given to expanding the transmission capacity by expanding the wavelength band in WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexing) and increasing the number of channels in each wavelength band.
There are also discussions on expanding transmission capacity by using multi-core fibers and high-density fiber cables in space division multiplexing (SDM). Hakusan Inc. focuses on this SDM and proposes a comparison table of solutions to technical issues.
In IOWN-GF, many industry companies active in Japan and overseas participate, and proposals and discussions are held from various perspectives, and the technical content related to IOWN is finally summarized.
We contribute to the realization of the IOWN concept by providing not only simple products and technologies, but also the knowledge that Hakusan Inc. is aware of.
For the future
Hakusan Inc. feels that IOWN is a sustainable solution to the problem of pressure on power consumption due to increased data consumption, and a network concept that can flexibly respond to upcoming social changes such as an aging society.
Therefore, in the future, we will continue to develop technologies and products that focus on the "Photonics-Electronics-Convergence" technology, which is the key technology of the IOWN concept, and contribute to its realization with the optical connection technology cultivated by Hakusan Inc.
In particular, the IOWN Promotion Department is making efforts to develop Multifiber core ferrules (optical connection parts) that use ceramics with excellent heat resistance and environmental resistance.
IOWN will be realized in 2030, but the specification will be finalized by 2024, and it will be gradually implemented in society from 2025. (Already, the service for delays will start from March 2023)
To achieve this, we will carry out basic development and development that incorporates specific applications. Details of the development and technology will be released in the future.
Editor's Note
Thank you for reading this far.
Could you explain a little more about the purpose of establishing IOWN and Hakusan Inc. 's IOWN promotion department?
I am very excited to see what kind of impact IOWN can have on society in the future. We are a small company, but we are very happy to be able to take on such a big initiative with our technology.
We have confirmed that this initiative is also linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) advocated by the United Nations, so please check it out.
PREV
NEXT