The present disclosure is directed towards the transmission of data and/or power using nanophotonic elements. For example, in one embodiment, a medical imaging system is provided. The imaging system includes a multiplexed photonic data transfer system having an optical modulator configured to receive an electrical signal representative of a set of data and being operable to modulate a subset of photons defined by time, wavelength, or polarization contained within a beam of light so as to encode the photons with the set of data to produce encoded photons, an optical waveguide interfacing with at least a portion of the optical modulator and configured to transmit the beam of light so as to allow the photons to be modulated by the optical modulator, an optical resonator in communication with the optical waveguide and configured to remove the encoded photons from the beam of light, and a transducer optically connected to the optical resonator and configured to convert the encoded photons into the electrical signal representative of the set of data.