Alphabet has announced the development of Taara technology, designed to provide affordable and high-speed Internet access even in the most remote areas of the world. The project manager, Mahesh Krishnaswamy, introduced the Taara Chip, a silicon photon chip that transmits data through the air using light. This new chip is significantly smaller than previous solutions, with a size comparable to a nail, whereas the first version of the Taara Lightbridge technology was as large as a traffic light. Unlike Lightbridge which used mirrors and sensors for physical control of a light signal, the new chip accomplishes this programmatically.
The Taara project is a part of X, Alphabet’s research division dedicated to innovative developments. Originally developed for Project LOON – an initiative involving Internet distribution via balloons, the technology of wireless optical communication has now shifted its focus to Taara following the closure of Project LOON in 2021. Alphabet had previously tested data transfer using light in India, and later used it to provide Internet access over the Congo River and in Nairobi.
Taara transmits data through a narrow, invisible light beam, delivering speeds of up to 20 Gb/s over distances of up to 20 km. The technology operates similar to fiber optics but without the need for cables, as the devices transmit light signals directly. Unlike Lightbridge that required precise directional adjustments using a mechanical control system, the new chip tackles this challenge differently by utilizing programmatically controlled hundreds of miniature emitters that automatically adjust the direction of the light rays.
According to Krishnaswamy, the installation of Taara light transmitters can be completed in just a few days, in contrast to fiber optic installations that can take months or even years. Laboratory tests have demonstrated speeds of up to 10 Gbit/s over a distance of 1 km. Currently, the Taara team is focused on extending the communication range and enhancing the chip’s performance, aiming to develop a version with thousands of emitters. The release of this groundbreaking technology is anticipated in 2026.