Fiber optics are very thin strands of glass, about the diameter of a human hair, that transmit light and are used in telecommunications and medical imaging. There are two types of optical fibers: single-mode and multi-mode. Fiber optics work by transmitting light through the fiber using total internal reflection, similar to how a mirror can reflect light around a corner. Fiber optic systems consist of a transmitter that converts electrical signals to light, the optical fiber that carries the light, optical repeaters that boost the signal, and a receiver that converts the light back to an electrical signal.