The science and technology of light as a means of transmitting information. Fiber optics involves strands of thin (thinner than a human hair) glass, plastic, or fiberglass (called optical fibers) which are bundled together to form a cable that transmits light, the light representing digital data. Because of the internal reflectivity of the cables, light is only transmitted through the glass and does not dissipate to the exterior, except at the end of the cable, where it exits into whatever the ultimate reception point is. The fibers can also be made to bend around corners, transmit at a much higher data capacity than traditional copper wires, and are not susceptible to interference from nearby electrical sources. Fiber-optic cables occupy less space than traditional forms of wiring, and are rapidly becoming used for a variety of applications, from computer data transmission to voice communication.
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