4 Quantum Stories To Amaze And Delight You

By John Oncea, Editor

Quantum is more than a buzzword, but what “more” is exactly is still up for debate. Here, we present four stories about the technology demonstrating where it is and where it may be going.

Quantum technologies. We’ve already written how they’re going to break your heart one day. But, hey, we’re optimists by nature. Let’s prove those doomsayers wrong by taking a look at four ways quantum is already making life better.

Using Quantum To Detect Aircraft Flight Operation Anomalies

Anomalies that occur during a flight may start small but can potentially develop into more serious situations. Scientists at NASA’s Ames Research Center have been using machine learning and quantum computing to detect anomalies in flight operations, which can help prevent future incidents.

In a recent project, the researchers developed a proof-of-concept model that uses deep learning. Integrating this model with quantum computing can potentially improve and expedite machine learning through the statistical sampling of energy-based distributions, making it easier to detect and address anomalies in flight operations.

The CIF project was a collaborative effort between NASA Ames Research Center’s Quantum Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (QuAIL) and Data Sciences Group (DSG) to develop advanced machine learning models for detecting flight operations anomalies. This project aimed to create high-performance, scalable, and explainable machine learning models that could be complemented by quantum computing techniques.

The team developed unsupervised deep machine-learning models with discrete latent variables, which allows for integration with quantum computing. This approach is significant because quantum state measurements are inherently discrete, making it possible to populate part of the latent space with quantum-derived data.

Building upon DSG’s previous work on a variational autoencoder with continuous latent variables (Gaussian prior), the CIF project expanded the capabilities by developing two quantum-capable variational autoencoders with discrete latent spaces, the Bernoulli prior model and the Boltzmann prior model.

These new models have demonstrated state-of-the-art performance in anomaly detection and robustness when applied to aeronautics datasets. The project’s outcomes have important implications for aviation safety, as the early detection of flight operations anomalies can help prevent serious incidents or accidents.

Looking ahead, the team plans to deploy these models on real-time flight operations data streams. Additionally, the models will be used to evaluate the performance and resource requirements of quantum computing devices and other advanced computing systems, contributing to the ongoing assessment of quantum computing's potential impact on NASA’s computational challenges.

Breaking The Limits Of Optical Measurement

The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) has developed a novel quantum sensor that uses quantum entanglement to enable high-performance infrared (IR) optical measurements using visible light. According to Phys.org, this breakthrough overcomes previous limitations in IR optical sensing. Key features of the new quantum sensor:

• Leverages quantum entanglement between pairs of photons to measure IR light using visible light detectors.
• Allows measurement of perturbations in the IR region without requiring expensive IR detectors.
• Uses an undetected photon (idler) that interacts with the target, while measuring its entangled partner photon.
• Implements a flexible hybrid interferometer that can adapt to different measurement targets.
• Successfully reconstructed 3D infrared images using only visible light measurements.

Benefits and implications:

• Enables low-cost, high-performance IR optical measurements that were previously limited.
• Applicable to non-destructive 3D structure measurements, biometry, and gas composition analysis.
• Demonstrates how quantum principles can overcome conventional optical sensing limits.

This quantum sensor technology represents a significant advancement in optical measurement capabilities. By harnessing quantum entanglement, it allows for precise IR sensing without the need for specialized IR equipment, potentially expanding applications across various fields. The KRISS team plans to continue improving the technology by reducing measurement time and increasing sensor resolution.

Berkeley Scientists Develop 3D-Printable Quantum Sensors

Berkeley scientists have developed a novel method for fabricating 3D-printable quantum sensors, representing a significant advancement in quantum sensing technology.

According to Berkeley Engineering, the technique uses two-photon polymerization to create highly customizable three-dimensional structures that host quantum sensors based on nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers in diamonds. This method overcomes challenges associated with structuring traditional single-crystal quantum sensing platforms, allowing for the creation of complex, fully three-dimensional sensor assemblies.

The sensors can achieve submicroscale resolutions (down to 400 nm) while maintaining large fields of view (>1 mm). The quantum sensors demonstrate high sensitivity in optical sensing of temperature and magnetic fields at the microscale.

This fabrication technique enables the integration of quantum sensors with advanced manufacturing methods, potentially facilitating their incorporation into existing microfluidic and electronic platforms. The sensors can operate at room temperature, which is a significant advantage over many other quantum sensing platforms that require extremely cold temperatures. The 3D-printed structures can host tiny diamonds containing quantum sensing elements, allowing for sensitive measurements in various applications.

This technology could potentially be used to incorporate sensors into microfluidics, electronics, and biological systems shortly. The technique allows for the precise design of structures with desired properties, combining sensing and actuation functionalities for applications in structural materials, tissue engineering, and optomechanical systems.

The research team believes this work can be extended to other types of measurements beyond temperature and magnetic fields. This breakthrough has the potential to significantly expand the applications of quantum sensors across various fields, including materials science, biology, and chemistry, by enabling their integration into complex 3D structures and existing technological platforms.

Australia’s Plans To Stay Ahead Of The Quantum Pack

The Australian government is investing $18 million to create Quantum Australia, an initiative aimed at maintaining the country’s leading position in quantum technology. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, this consortium will connect major universities, industry groups, and strategic partners to boost Australia's quantum edge.

Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic emphasized the importance of this investment, stating that quantum technology represents a leap as significant as the transition from typewriters to personal computers. The goal is to transform Australia’s technological advantage into a competitive economic edge.

Quantum Australia will bring together key players in the field, including government-funded bodies like CSIRO, industry groups such as Silicon Quantum Computing and QuintessenceLabs, and leading universities. The consortium aims to accelerate research, development, and innovation in quantum technologies.

Dr. Xanthe Croot from the University of Sydney Nano Institute highlighted that this initiative would facilitate the translation of quantum technologies into practical applications, potentially revolutionizing fields like computing, sensing, security, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and cryptography.

This effort aligns with Australia’s national quantum strategy, which includes the ambitious goal of building the world's first complete, error-correcting quantum computer. With global investment in quantum technology reaching $64.2 billion by 2023, Australia is positioning itself to remain at the forefront of this rapidly advancing field.