What happened
Lightmatter, described as a leader in photonic high-performance computing (HPC), announced on the 21st that it has joined the Open CPX multi-source agreement (MSA).
Alongside the announcement, the company introduced what it describes as the industry's first bidirectional CPX optical engine.
Why it matters
Multi-source agreements are typically how component makers align on shared specifications so that parts from different vendors can interoperate; a photonics specialist joining such an agreement suggests the ecosystem around CPX is widening.
A bidirectional optical engine, if it works as described, would handle traffic in both directions within a single engine, which is the kind of integration that matters as optical links move closer to the compute itself.
Key facts
Lightmatter is described as a leader in photonic high-performance computing (HPC).
Lightmatter announced its participation in the Open CPX multi-source agreement (MSA).
The announcement was made on the 21st.
Lightmatter introduced what it calls the industry's first bidirectional CPX optical engine.
What to watch next
Whether other members of the Open CPX MSA follow with their own CPX-compatible optical products, which would indicate how quickly the agreement translates into shipping hardware.
Any technical details Lightmatter releases about the bidirectional engine, since the announcement as reported does not include specifications.
