Quantum research in the spotlight

The £270 million UK National Quantum Technologies Programme (UKNQTP) was established a year ago to accelerate the transition of new technologies from the laboratory to industry.

Projects to develop superfast cameras that see round corners and ultra-sensitive gravity sensors to find oil and gas reservoirs were some of the applications exhibited last week by researchers from the quantum hubs.

The vision for the programme is a coherent community that gives the UK a world-leading position in these emerging multi-million pound markets

David Delpy, chair of the UKNQTP

These have been formed from a consortium of 17 universities led by the universities of Birmingham, Glasgow, Oxford and York, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

“The vision for the programme is a coherent community that gives the UK a world-leading position in these emerging multi-million pound markets,” said David Delpy, chair of the UKNQTP.

“The five year programme will keep us at the leading edge and provide an easy entry point for companies interested in exploiting the potential of quantum technologies.”

• The University of Birmingham is researching quantum sensors and metrology with the goal of improve the accuracy of measurement of time, frequency, rotation, magnetic fields, gravity and other key fundamental measures.
• The University of Glasgow is researching quantum enhanced imaging and sensing to develop new types of cameras for new markets in medical imaging; security and environmental monitoring. The aim is to develop quantum cameras that will be able to visualise gas leaks, see through smoke, look round corners or underneath the skin. 
• The University of Oxford is researching ways for quantum information processing to help solve problems that supercomputers. This might be accelerate the discovery of new drugs or materials by simulating different molecular designs using programmable software, thus dramatically reducing the laborious trial and error of making each molecule in the laboratory.
• The University of York is researching quantum communications to transform the security of data and transactions across government, industry and consumers.