A dazzling optical computer is being developed by Japan’s Agency of
Industrial Science and Technology, Dainichiseika Colour and Chemicals, and JVC
(EP 782 061).
In the computer, at least four light beams shine on prisms coated with
light-sensitive organic crystals that route the beams. The crystals either
reflect or transmit the beams onto another prism for further switching. Using
multiple beams can generate a wide range of switched combinations to represent
digital words or binary digits. This is faster than the electrical gates of
conventional microprocessors.
