Alphabet’s X Development subsidiary has spun out its Taara project as an independent company. The company raised an unspecified sum in a funding round led by Series X Capital to deploy and scale its approach to wireless optical communications. According to a blog post from CEO Mahesh Krishnaswamy, Taara has already deployed hundreds of links in more than a dozen countries and is delivering commercial service in partnership with Airtel, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, and Liberty Networks as well as pioneering new approaches to wireless optical communications deployments with T-Mobile and Vodafone. A prototype of Taara’s silicon photonics chip device. Courtesy of X Development. The company’s first-generation system, Taara Lightbridge, utilizes a system of mirrors, sensors, precision optics, and hardware to steer light. The technology was developed to transmit data into areas where deploying fiber is too difficult or expensive. Lightbridge is able to transmit data at speeds as high as 20 Gbps over distances up to 20 km. Earlier this month, the company showcased a silicon photonic chip capable of transmitting high-speed data through the air. The device uses an optical phased array in place of the more traditional employed by Lightbridge to steer, track, and correct light beams with high levels of precision. The company expects the chip to be available in its next product launch in 2026.