Expanding the fiber optic universe beyond telecommunications, Furukawa Electric highlights the utility of optical technology in medicine, industrial processes, and other industries.

Under the “Guiding Light for a Better Life” slogan, Jane Cercena, COO of Optical Fiber Solutions, a Furukawa company, expanded at the Furukawa Summit 2022 on the universe that is known about the uses of fiber optic technology. Generally its usefulness is only associated with telecommunications services, but this connectivity provides multiple benefits in medicine, personal aesthetics, logistics, the Oil & Gas industry, security, Smart Cities, among other sectors. 

For industrial processes, many of them can be monitored using fiber optic sensors. For example, in companies that use automatic conveyor belts as part of their processes, using technology connected with fiber optics will allow employees to control their operation, identify noises that are symptoms of an error in configuration, measure the temperature to avoid overheating of the machine and possible accidents, and identify if maintenance is needed. This optimizes resources and results in a decrease in OPEX. Similarly, fiber optic monitoring technology can be combined with Artificial Intelligence and through data analysis, the company obtains real-time feedback. 

As for medicine, the unique size of the fibers allows the sensors to be incorporated in various ways. The composition resides in fibers with 6 cores around a main core, these are twisted within a main fiber and are the ones that contain all the information. Thus, the fiber format can be modified and used for different applications. Including treatments for aesthetic and personal care, some of the medical applications that can be performed with fiber optic technology are: 

-    Varicose vein treatment.
-    Tumor treatments and brain operations.
-    Kidney stone removal surgeries. With a single fiber, a kidney stone can be imploded.
-    Retinal / ophthalmological surgeries.
-    Laser hair removal, lipolysis treatments. 
-    CT scans, X-rays and other diagnostic imaging through OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography).

When the aforementioned surgeries are performed using fiber optics, they are less invasive for the patient, are faster and have great precision. Similarly, they are low-latency fibers, light travels quickly through the air becoming a great utility sensor. 

This advancement of technology demonstrates that fiber optics provides many benefits that go beyond telecommunications and connectivity. In different industries and processes they facilitate monitoring, increase accuracy, reduce costs and open up multiple possibilities to innovate and discover new advances that benefit society. 
Fiber optics and Furukawa are Infrastructure for Life!