Optical Technologies: An Important Enabler for Smart Systems and Infrastructures

Abstract

Optical technologies will play a significant role in realizing a reliable, high-performance, and efficient smart infrastructures and systems. There are already many ways to utilize various optical effects to build reliable, efficient, and precise sensors. Additionally, advanced optical communication systems are capable of providing high-performance, low energy consumption, and highly reliable transmission links and networks to optimally support future applications and services within a smart environment. This paper gives an overview of currently available and emerging photonic technologies and reviews their possible application in the context of the Internet of Things (IoT) for realizing smart systems and infrastructures.